Before you say, “Over and out,” listen to this…
The word hormone is derived from the Greek word hormao, meaning “I excite or arouse” (2). And that’s exactly what hormones do.
They communicate with the rest of the body and signal—or arouse—particular parts (called target glands) to play their part.
Although there are more than 200 hormone-like substances that have been discovered, there are a handful of ones you’ve probably heard of already—serotonin, cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone (3).
Here’s a cheat sheet of the 10 most popular hormones and what they do:
1. Insulin: After you eat, insulin is released from the pancreas. From here, it transports the sugar (glucose) from your blood to your cells and stores it as energy. It also stores any extra sugar as fat (this is why it’s important to moderate your sugar intake) (4).
2. Estrogen: As a hormone for both females and males, estrogen boasts many physiological functions, including reproduction, bone density, and metabolic regulations (5).
3. Testosterone: As the primary hormone for men (women have it too, though!), testosterone’s most significant effects relate to libido, sexual interest, and arousal (6).
4. Progesterone: As one of the main sex hormones, progesterone is responsible for regulating a woman’s menstrual cycle and preparing the uterus for pregnancy (7).
5. Adrenaline: You can tell when adrenaline comes into play—your heart rate quickens, pupils dilate, and airways expand. In short, it’s the mediator of your fight or flight response (8).
6. Melatonin: This sleepy hormone is like the alarm clock that tells you when to go to bed. Upon nightfall, it prepares your body for rest by altering its sleep/wake blood pressure and metabolism (9).
7. Serotonin: Often dubbed the “happiness hormone”, serotonin is the hormone that makes you feel happy. In addition to that, it regulates cardiovascular function, bowel movements, and many behavioral processes like mood, reward, and attention, among others (10, 11).
8. Dopamine: This “feel-good hormone” is responsible for motor control, motivation, reward, cognitive function, and reproductive behaviors (12).
9. Cortisol: As your body’s main stress hormone, cortisol works with your brain (specifically, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland) to control fear, mood, and motivation. It boosts energy, regulates blood pressure and inflammation, increases blood sugar, and controls your sleep/wake cycle (13).
10. Oxytocin: Oxytocin plays a significant role in pre and postpartum women. ,”Responsibilities include stimulating uterine muscle contractions, breastmilk, and even relief from pain (14).
