It is one of the most common medical terms, but also one of the most mysterious. The hormone, this chemical produced by the human body, is essential for the functioning of the organism. But what do you know about hormones? Dr. Emmanuelle Lecornet-Sokol, endocrinologist in Paris and author of the book Et si c'est hormonal? , explained at length their operation in the show Without appointment, Wednesday on Europe 1.
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How does a hormone work?
"A hormone is a messenger. The hormonal system is one of the most extraordinary communication systems that nature has made. They are going to be produced in specialized cells, the endocrine cells:" endo ", inside, and" crine ", which will stimulate. They will go into the blood, this is the characteristic of hormones, and that way they will reach their targets. A very simple example: growth hormone. It is made in a small gland of the brain, the pituitary gland, it will circulate in the blood and it will be able to drive several other proteins which will bind to the bones, and allow them to grow. "
How many hormones are there?
"There are hundreds of them in the body, we discover them all the time. There are glands which are organs specialized in the manufacture of hormones, like the thyroid, the ovaries or the testes. Cells also make hormones in the gut, in the brain and in fat.
They all have an important role. It's like a big orchestra, each instrument is important, if one is missing the music will not be exactly the same. They are not all vital but they all have a role. The most vital is insulin, the well-known hormone that regulates sugar levels. Without it, we cannot live. "
What is endocrinology?
"There are about 1,000 endocrinologists in France. We mainly deal with all sexual problems, or even the thyroid. We can have the opportunity to see an endocrinologist at the time of puberty, if we has a growth problem for example. Obesity and diabetes are also diseases treated by endocrinology. You should always go through a general practitioner or another specialist before seeing an endocrinologist. "
What is adrenaline for?
"Adrenaline is the hormone of reactivity, when you are facing a danger. It is made by small glands called adrenals, which are in the back, just above the kidneys. These glands go allow us to react when we find ourselves, for example, facing a rhinoceros in the savannah. Very quickly, they produce this adrenaline which will pass into the blood, so that we have more muscular strength to run quickly or even improve our reflexes and our visual acuity. It diffuses and increases body temperature.
There is a rare disease, pheochromocytoma, which gives episodes of hypertension, malaise, headache and pallor. If you've ever had this kind of discomfort, consult your doctor. "
Are hormones responsible for overweight?
"It's more a dysfunction of the hormones that take care of the weight. There is a hormone produced in fats, leptin. We discovered that when we lacked leptin we got very fat. This hormone is supposed to cut the appetite, in common obesity it can't work, that's why we can't stop eating, but giving leptin doesn't work.
Ghrelin is another hormone (also called hunger hormone), made in our stomachs. When you drink a large glass of water before a meal, you can lose a little weight, one or two pounds. It helps to distend the stomach, and to decrease the action of ghrelin. In people who have a very significant obesity which requires an operation, one acts in particular, but not only, by preventing the action of ghrelin. "
What about the thyroid?
The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland at the bottom of the neck. It makes thyroid hormones, which are going to have a role in metabolism. The thyroid is very often sick, either because it works too much, it is hyper-thyroidism: we lose weight, we are irritable… Sometimes we can miss it, it is hypo-thyroidism, which is the most common disease. It's when you're very slow, you gain weight, you have trouble concentrating. It is much more common in women.
In France, more than three million people are treated for the thyroid, and there are hundreds of thousands of operations per year.
How do you know if you have a sex hormone problem?
"In men, there may be a problem with libido, erection or growing breasts, which is quite common. We always take stock, because sometimes it can be related to a hormone disorder.
In women, it is when there are menstrual disturbances, either too frequent or with too long cycles. There may also be excess hair growth. It is an excess of male hormone, androgens, which will activate the growth of the hair. We do exams to see if there is an illness, or if it is a simple dysfunction. You can take a blood test to find out, there are only certain diseases that are much rarer that require further examination. "