Obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease, infertility, osteoporosis. Very widespread health problems that have a common denominator: hormonal alterations, ‘imbalances’ with a thousand faces that 3 out of 4 of us are destined to experience first-hand, sooner or later. On the eve of Hormone Day on 24 April, the European Hormone Day promoted by the European Society of Endocrinology (Ese), the experts of the Italian Society of Endocrinology (Sie) teach you how to recognize the 10 warning signs that should prompt you to turn to a specialist and explain how to prevent hormonal imbalances. Along with diet and attention to environmental dangers, ‘gentle’ and constant physical activity can also play a key role. At the right doses, training can in fact represent a ‘hormonal gym’ that increases fat burning and good mood hormones, while reducing stress hormones.
“It is estimated that the probability that each of us, throughout our lives, will have to deal with a hormonal problem is around 75% – says Gianluca Aimaretti, president of Sie and director of the Department of Translational Medicine (DiMet) of the University of Eastern Piedmont – The centrality of the hormonal system means that the endocrinologist must be a competent specialist in multiple therapeutic areas, even those that are very distant from each other, and yet “this doctor” pays the price for a lack of awareness of the importance of hormones in maintenance of health and in many diseases, even by the medical profession. Despite the extraordinary impact on female and male health, often ignored and underestimated, few know the crucial role of hormones, which remains mysterious for the majority of Italians who do not know. how to deal with any imbalances and who to contact. In fact, the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke are peculiar and easily recognisable, whereas hormones act in a less clear and evident way”.
Precisely to fill this information gap, on the occasion of the day dedicated to hormones, Sie wants to raise public awareness about hormonal health with information events, free visits and screening throughout the national territory. The aim – Sie reports in a note – is to make known the signs to pay attention to and promote small daily actions that can prevent the appearance of diseases of which hormones are the direct or contributing cause, in line with the Milan Declaration signed in 2022 by 53 European endocrinological societies, patient associations and other organizations, to indicate the primary objectives of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of hormonal pathologies.
Hormones, endocrinologists illustrate, are the ‘directors’ of our health and regulate everything that happens in our organism. These chemical substances, produced by the endocrine glands, act as messengers that travel in the blood, conveying information to regulate and coordinate the functions of the various organs: sleep, hunger, body temperature, metabolism, sexual desire, mood, growth and development. From estrogen to testosterone, from insulin to growth hormone, more than 50 hormones circulate in our body, the variations of which can pave the way for various pathologies. 30% of chronic diseases and one in 4 cancers depend on hormonal imbalances. Hormone levels fluctuate not only based on age, but also in relation to the type of diet and bad lifestyles.
“Knowing hormones and their importance, but above all implementing strategies that can help prevent the many diseases in which there is an altered hormonal component, means having a positive impact on citizens’ health – highlights Diego Ferone, Sie president-elect and director of the Endocrinology Clinic of the Irccs Policlinico San Martino, University of Genoa – Reduce as much as possible exposure to endocrine disruptors contained in plastic packaging, cosmetics and toys; ensure that everyone can have an adequate intake of vitamin D, iodine and football, as requested in the Milan Declaration, for example, means preventing pathologies such as osteoporosis, thyroid pathologies and some metabolic disorders which together affect, in Italy alone, 3 out of 10 people. The regular practice of physical exercise, so as to reduce the impact of diseases with a strong hormonal component such as obesity, tumors and diabetes”.
Sport, endocrinologists warn, has a great impact on hormonal modulation: “Doing constant physical activity, but at a moderate and not prolonged intensity, from 90 to 150 minutes a week, can help the body produce hormones better”, they assure . It is no coincidence that “we now also talk about hormonal workout, that is, setting up training in such a way as to balance the production of hormones – specifies Aimaretti – and ensure that its effectiveness is maximum with aerobic exercises such as running, intense walking and gentle exercise. As soon as we move, our body releases hormones that cause different effects. An example is that of irisin, the so-called fat-burning sports hormone, which increases by 12% through constant and balanced physical activity. and counteracts ‘bad’ fat cells. Furthermore, compared to a sedentary lifestyle, regular low intensity exercise increases the secretion of endorphins and serotonin, known as happiness hormones, responsible for well-being and good mood, and instead reduces production. of cortisol, the stress hormone, thus helping to balance hormonal production and ensure that its effectiveness is maximum. Physical activity also helps to lower insulin resistance and improve the use of sugar by the muscles and the brain.”
Many believe that hormonal imbalances are linked only to the female world, Sie observes, and that men do not experience the negative effects of similar alterations in their bodies. But this is not the case, experts point out, because there are male hormonal imbalances with symptoms comparable to female ones. This is why “it is important to be aware of how any physical or psychological changes that can occur throughout life – the specialists clarify – can be an indication of hormonal imbalances and the need to immediately contact the specialist to identify the tests and the more appropriate treatment”.
Ten “symptoms to pay attention to, which can mask problems with the endocrine system: unexplained changes in weight, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, fragility of nails and hair, excessive tiredness, flaking skin, persistent thirst, onset of depression of the mood, decreased sexual desire and infertility”, lists Ferone. “In the presence of these alarm bells – he recommends – it is necessary to contact the endocrinologist specialist and it may be useful, on his recommendation, to undergo hormonal dosage tests”.
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