Article Details3 Glands That Produce Vital Hormones in Women |
| Date Added: August 04, 2011 12:16:25 AM |
| Author: Dr. Nishant Rao |
| Category: Health |
| There are three glands that control most of the functions in a woman’s body. These include the following • the adrenals which are above each kidney • the thyroid located at the throat • the ovaries, which are the reproductive organs in women. All these glands produce hormones that ensure the body functions as expected and adapts to the changes going on in the woman’s body. In essence, what is a hormone? This is a commonly asked question by many women. This is so especially when information is provided about the reproductive changes that go on in the body and they are linked to these substances. Essentially, these are chemical substances produced by different organs to cause specified changes or actions in the body. For instance, the adrenals produce cortisol which helps the woman respond to stressful events or actions. It would not be possible for the body to act fast especially when the levels of these hormones are inadequate. The thyroid gland produces hormones that put the metabolic rate into check, aid development of tissues and control energy levels. In short, it is a vital gland. When production of these chemical substances halts, it can lead to untold suffering especially in pregnant women. This is because of a disease known as hypothyroidism which affects manufacture of reproductive eggs. The fertility levels will go down and if by chance the woman conceives, there will be a reduced chance of carrying the pregnancy to maturity. The reproductive glands, ovaries, produce two important chemical substances that are progesterone and estrogen. They have varying functions and production of higher levels of estrogen can have devastating effects on the woman’s reproductive health. This is common especially in menopause. Progesterone regulates the woman’s menstrual flow while estrogen accounts for the changes a woman experiences when developing from a girl into a woman and into old age. Estrogen and progesterone have contradictory roles in the woman’s body, with progesterone regulating the adverse effects of estrogen. For instance, estrogen increases the chances of clotting of blood while progesterone reduces it. On the same note, estrogen increases the fat levels in the body and progesterone lowers this. In essence, all hormones in the woman’s system are important and these glands have to work with equilibrium or affect overall health of the individual. That is why the question of what is a hormone is answered with an explanation of the functions they have in the body. For instance, if the woman experiences a disparity in the manufacture of these substances, she will have fatigue, stress, weight gain, irregular periods as well as the effects of menopause. That is why women are advised to watch their diets as well as activities they are engaged in to ensure that their glands function normally and there are no chances of getting these adverse symptoms. For example, eating organically produced foods ensures there are no substances inhibiting production of hormones. Foods such as eggs, fish and coconut oil contain the omega oils and other ingredients that enhance fertility, unlike taking alcohol, sugars and caffeine rich foods that affect hormonal balance. There is a lot to better health and ensuring that manufacture of hormones is taking place as expected is the first step. Dr. Nishant Rao is the author of this article on What Is Gluten. Find more information on Pregnant here |