50 Interesting Facts about Human Hormones – Part 2

The ‘Premarin’ drug which is used to treat symptoms of menopause, is made from the urine of pregnant mares. Estrogen is extracted from its urine.

27. Standing like a Superhero for as little as two minutes changes our testosterone and cortisol level, increases our appetite for risk, causes us to perform better in job interviews, and generally configures our brains to cope well in stressful situations.

28. Infants are grouchy around 6-9 months because their hormones spike to pubertal levels. This phase of their life is sometimes referred to as "mini puberty." Hormones then drop back to normal until pre-teens go through 'real' puberty.

29. There is a molecule that makes a "bridge" between metabolism and physical activity called Irisin. It is a Thermogenic and Anabolic hormone produced by muscles.

30. Hugging for 20 seconds releases oxytocin, which can make someone trust you more.

Research has found that 8/12 (sprint/rest) cycling for 20-minute sessions, 3 times a week produces the same amount of weight loss as 5-7 hours of jogging. It also generates the same amount of catecholamine hormone and reduced appetite.

32. Consumption of alcohol interferes with the production of antidiuretic hormones. This hormone works to signal the kidneys to retain water. Drinking alcohol interferes with your body's ability to produce ADH, causing you to release more urine. As a result, you get dehydrated, and subsequently hungover.

33. Women on Hormone Replacement Therapy after menopause may see up to a 75% increase in breast cancer risk as well as suffering later stage detection.

34. Cold showers increase testosterone levels, mitigate depression, and invigorate the mind.

35. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) extracted from cadavers causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rapidly degenerative neurological disorder, which is why HGH is now created using recombinant DNA.

There is a hormone disorder (Cushing's Syndrome) that causes weight gain in the torso and head, but weight loss in the limbs. Patients develop a "buffalo hump" and "moon face", but their arms and legs remain skinny.

37. Modern insulin comes from genetically modified organisms with human genes inserted to avoid allergic reactions from animal-derived insulin.

38. Blind people supplement synthetic melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep cycles) in order to "teach" their brains when it's day and night. Without it, they are arguably in a state of perpetual jet lag.

39. Testosterone can cross the blood-brain barrier and be converted to estrogen, but estrogen alone cannot cross. As a result, men have more "estrogen on the brain" than women.

40. Metandienone a.k.a. Dianabol is the most widely used testosterone derivative of all time, both historically and in the present day. It can be purchased without a prescription in Mexico. It is however a controlled substance in most countries.

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that is also a hormone and its deficiency can lead to numerous mental illnesses such as depression and Schizophrenia.

42. HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone which is found in the urine of pregnant women can be used to induce egg laying in African clawed frogs.

43. Inhaled Insulin exists for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. It is faster acting and has lesser side effects like weight gain and hypoglycemia because it emulates what the pancreas does.

44. Constant interruptions from your smartphone can change your brain's chemistry to make you feel anxious and distracted. Notifications can trigger the release of a hormone called cortisol. This tenses muscles, increases heart rate and causes palms to become sweaty.

45. Couples that cuddle can become addicted to one another. Symptoms of withdrawal can occur when apart as a result of the hormone oxytocin, "the cuddling drug.

For those who have trouble sleeping researchers say that 1 week of camping, without electronics, resets our biological body clock and synchronizes our melatonin hormones with sunrise and sunset.

47. Crying is good for you because tears can flush out higher levels of stress hormones out of your system and higher levels of mood-regulating manganese.

48. Grapes are the only fruit found to contain the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin.

49. A drug called Cabergoline allows men to easily achieve multiple orgasms by inhibiting the hormone prolactin.

50. Psychosocial short stature is a growth disorder which is observed in young children enduring severe emotional stress. They don’t produce growth hormones and don't grow, even when getting adequate nutrition.