Retired pharmacist Marla Ahlgrimm spent her entire career focused on women’s health, specifically where hormones are concerned. Here, the Madison, Wisconsin based healthcare entrepreneur answers questions about the chemicals that keep us going.

Q: What are hormones?

Marla Ahlgrimm: Hormones are chemicals produced by different glands throughout the body. They are responsible for regulating the biological systems that keep us healthy. Hormones affect every system of the body and are vital to normal growth and development.
Q: From where do hormones derive?

Marla Ahlgrimm: There are 10 primary hormone producing glands. These are the hypothalamus, parathyroid, thymus, pancreas, thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, pineal, ovaries, and testes. Each gland controls specific hormones. For instance, the parathyroid gland controls the body’s calcium levels while the testes in men produce testosterone and sperm. The thymus and thyroid control immune system maturity and the body’s ability to burn calories respectively.

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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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