Hormones are like tiny little chemical messengers that travel throughout the bloodstream to tell the organs and tissues exactly what they’re supposed to do. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, hormones affect everything from growth and development to mood and sexual function. Both men and women’s bodies are governed by hormones, which fluctuate with age.

Effect on female development

Marla Ahlgrimm explains that certain hormones are released as the body develops into adulthood. During puberty, hormones are associated with skin and hair changes, mood swings, and the onset of menstruation. Breast tenderness, insomnia, and menstrual cramps are also signs the body’s hormone levels are shifting. Girls typically enter puberty at the end of adolescence, somewhere between 12- and 14-years-old.

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Hormones play a role in every aspect of our lives, says retired pharmacist and healthcare entrepreneur Marla Ahlgrimm. Contrary to popular belief, hormones do not just affect the reproductive system. In today’s brief question and answer session, Ahlgrimm discusses one hormone that may have kept our ancestors alive.

Q: What is adrenaline?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Adrenaline is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands that is released during stressful situations. It is the hormone that triggers the fight-or-flight response. Adrenaline is released into the bloodstream and sends impulses throughout the body to trigger certain reactions. Adrenaline, which is also called epinephrine, makes a person more alert, less able to feel pain, and able to run long distances even when injured.

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Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a crucial role in childbirth and lactation. Here, HRT expert Marla Ahlgrimm touches on a few key points regarding this reproductive hormone.

Q: What does oxytocin do?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Produced by the hypothalamus, oxytocin is secreted by the pituitary gland during childbirth. It is the hormone responsible for signaling the womb to begin having contractions during labor. When oxytocin is released, the uterine muscles contract and prostaglandin production is increased, moving labor along and intensifying contractions.

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Cortisol, though commonly referred to as the “stress hormone,” is vital to every system in the body, says women’s healthcare expert Marla Ahlgrimm. Understanding cortisol’s effect on the body is an important step in maintaining good health.

Q: What is cortisol?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Cortisol is a steroidal hormone released by the adrenal glands. Cortisol secretion is controlled by the pituitary and adrenal glands and the hypothalamus. Most every cell in the body has a cortisol receptor, meaning that high or low cortisol levels can have a significant impact on a woman’s overall health.

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The thyroid gland plays a major role when it comes to hormone health, says retired pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm. It controls and produces many hormones that affect our daily lives. Calcitonin is one of these, but it is a hormone that remains shrouded in mystery.

Q: What is calcitonin?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Calcitonin is a hormone that originates in the thyroid gland. It is produced by the C-cells and suppresses the parathyroid hormone, which helps to regulate phosphate and calcium levels in the blood.

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Are your locks lingering on the pillow each morning? If so, you’re like the millions of women each year with some degree of hair loss. In the following brief conversation, women’s health expert Marla Ahlgrimm offers answers on the causes of thinning tresses.

Q: Is hair loss normal?

Marla Ahlgrimm: It is to some degree. Hair follicles develop in cycles. During their growing phase, hair is healthy and stays put. The resting phase is a different story altogether. Throughout this stage of growth, hair follicles don’t hold on to hair as well, resulting in hair falling out, often in patches. It’s only when large groups of follicles rest that we notice thinning.

Q: How can a woman tell if she is losing too much hair?

Marla Ahlgrimm: The average human scalp has 100,000 hair follicles.  A loss of around 100 hairs per day is perfectly normal and usually filled in by new growth. Anything more than that may be a sign of thinning hair. Keep in mind, however, that hair loss isn’t abnormal as women age and only about half of women enter their senior years with the same amount of hair they had in their 20s.

Q: What is alopecia?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Alopecia is the scientific name for hair loss. There are two main types of alopecia that affect women: Alopecia Areata, a treatable autoimmune disorder that is common in people with allergies, and Androgenetic Alopecia, hair loss associated with hormone variances, usually in menopause.  The latter is most commonly referred to as Female Pattern Baldness.

Q: Are there natural ways to prevent hair loss?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Unfortunately, there hasn’t been a great deal of research into the subject of female hair loss. However, diet may play a role in its prevention. A life-long diet high in protein, fiber, and Omega-3s may help reduce hair loss later in life.