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Steroid hormones are lipid molecules that act as hormones by causing chemical changes in other body cells. There are many types of naturally occurring steroid hormones and these are essential for proper body functioning. There are also a number of synthetic steroid hormones, known as anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroid hormones can... more »
The use of growth hormones in food production processes is a regular practice within the meat and dairy industries. Producers depend on these chemicals to achieve larger livestock, better quality meats and increased dairy production levels. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for monitoring the safety of the foods we... more »
From the time children begin visiting the pediatrician, their weight and height are monitored. Some children have growth delays, so they are small for their age. Others are short because their parents are short. If children stop growing, the doctor will diagnose the situation and may recommend growth hormone treatment. more »
Many doctors in the United States and Europe have begun using bioidentical hormones for hormone replacement therapy, also called HRT. Doctors in Canada are beginning to prescribe this natural treatment for HRT, but Canadian availability can still be challenging. more »
Although marketed as a natural alternative for replacing hormones in menopausal women, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) utilizes both natural and synthesized ingredients to simulate hormones found in the human body. While some pharmacists prefer to sell prescription hormone replacements, bioidentical hormones have... more »
HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, involves the use of synthetic estrogen and progesterone to...
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Hormones are chemicals produced by various glands in the body and released into the blood stream where they travel in the circulation to all... more »
Bioidentical hormones are formulas containing substances that are chemically identical to sex hormones found in the body that are lost in the... more »
Bioidentical hormones are an alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy. They can be used to treat menopausal symptoms including hot... more »
Hormone levels can become imbalanced due to a variety of reasons including diet, disease, stress, thyroid disorders, hysterectomy and menopause.... more »
The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that 43 percent of women under age 60 suffer from sexual dysfunction and decreased libido.... more »
A hormone (from Greek ὁρμή - "impetus") is a chemical released by one or more cells that affects cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is essentially a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another. All multicellular organisms produce hormones; plant hormones are also called phytohormones. Hormones in animals are often transported in the blood. Cells respond to a hormone when they express a specific receptor for that hormone. The hormone binds to the receptor protein, resulting in the activation of a signal transduction mechanism that ultimately leads to cell type-specific responses.
Endocrine hormone molecules are secreted (released) directly into the bloodstream, while exocrine hormones (or ectohormones) are secreted directly into a duct, and from the duct they either flow into the bloodstream or they flow from cell to cell by diffusion in a process known as paracrine signalling.
Hormones as a signal
Hormonal signaling across this hierarchy involves the following:
# Biosynthesis of a particular hormone in a particular tissue
# Storage and secretion of the hormone
# Transport of the hormone to the target cell(s)
# Recognition of the hormone by an associated cell membrane or intracellular receptor protein.
# Relay and amplification of the received hormonal signal via a signal transduction process: This then leads to a cellular response. The reaction of the target cells may then be recognized by the original hormone-producing cells, leading to a down-regulation in hormone production. This is an example of a homeostatic negative feedback loop.
# Degradation of the hormone.
As can be inferred from the hierarchical diagram, hormone biosynthetic cells are typically of a specialized cell type, residing within a particular endocrine gland, such as thyroid gland, ovaries, and testes. Hormones exit their cell of origin via exocytosis read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone
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