Hormones

Tish Davidson, AM, is a medical writer specializing in making technical information accessible to a general readership.

Series Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Guide to Health Literacy
Common Misconceptions about Hormones
1. Men and women make different hormones
2. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is not a real disorder
3. Sex is determined by genetics, but gender identity is a choice
4. Teens choose to stay up late to keep up with schoolwork and online social life
5. Consuming caffeine has no effect on hormones
Table of Major Hormones
Questions and Answers
The Basics
1. What are hormones?
2. How is the endocrine system organized?
3. How were hormones discovered?
4. How does my body know when to secrete hormones?
5. How do hormones know which cells to target?
6. Do men and women make the same hormones?
Growth and Development
7. What is growth hormone, and what role does it play in the body?
8. What happens when you have too much or too little growth hormone?
9. Why will drinking milk give you strong bones?
10. What does vitamin D have to do with calcium and bone growth?
11. What happens if you have too much or too little of the hormones regulating calcium and bone growth?
Reproductive Hormones across the Life Span
12. What are the predominantly female reproductive hormones?
13. What physical changes occur during puberty in girls?
14. What concerns do girls have about puberty?
15. How do hormones regulate the menstrual cycle?
16. What roles do hormones play in premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
17. What are the hormonal causes of abnormal periods?
18. How does hormonal birth control work?
19. How do pregnancy tests work?
20. What hormonal changes occur during pregnancy and birth?
21. How are the baby blues and postpartum depression related to hormonal changes?
22. What are the predominantly male sex hormones?
23. What occurs during puberty in boys?
24. What concerns do boys have about puberty?
25. What are the hormonal causes of erectile dysfunction?
26. How do hormones influence biological sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation?
27. How are hormones used to help transgender people transition?
Hormones Regulating Basic Body Functions
28. What body functions does the thyroid affect?
29. What happens if my thyroid over- or underproduces thyroid hormones?
30. How do hormones regulate fluid balance in your body?
31. How does the body respond to fear and stress?
32. Why do teens find it hard to fall asleep early?
33. How do your hormone levels change as you get older?
Hormones Regulating Nutrients and Appetite
34. How is blood glucose regulated, and why does it matter?
35. How do type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ?
36. What is the "hunger hormone"?
37. Can a hormone signal that I am full and should stop eating?
How Different Substances Affect Your Hormones
38. What are endocrine disruptors?
39. How do anabolic steroid supplements affect your hormones?
40. How does drinking alcohol affect your hormones?
41. How does using marijuana affect your hormones?
42. How does caffeine affect your hormones?
43. How does drinking diet soda affect your hormones?
44. How does playing video games affect your hormones?
Case Illustrations
1. Pete worries about his height
2. Jerry undergoes gender affirming treatment
3. Marie is serious about dance
4. Anthony has Hashimoto thyroiditis
5. Lucia's hormones create an athletic conflict
Directory of Resources
Glossary
Bibliography
Index