In Our Time: Hormones

[helvella]

On BBC Radio 4 yesterday (8th February 2024), almost an hour of discussion about hormones.

I don't think there will be much new to members who have been around for a while. But there might be glimpses illustrating interesting aspects of hormones across all animal life.

Thyroid hormones do get several mentions.

In Our Time: Hormones

Released On: 08 Feb 2024

Available for over a year

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss some of the chemical signals coursing through our bodies throughout our lives, produced in separate areas and spreading via the bloodstream. We call these 'hormones' and we produce more than 80 of them of which the best known are arguably oestrogen, testosterone, adrenalin, insulin and cortisol. On the whole hormones operate without us being immediately conscious of them as their goal is homeostasis, maintaining the levels of everything in the body as required without us having to think about them first. Their actions are vital for our health and wellbeing and influence many different aspects of the way our bodies work.

With

Sadaf Farooqi

Professor of Metabolism and Medicine at the University of Cambridge

Rebecca Reynolds

Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Edinburgh

And

Andrew Bicknell

Associate Professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Reading

bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001w0z9

[RedApple]

'of which the best known are arguably oestrogen, testosterone, adrenalin, insulin and cortisol. '

So, despite levothyroxine being one of the highest prescribed medications (in the UK at least), more people know about cortisol than thyroid hormones, apparently!

[greygoose in reply to RedApple]

In my experience, most people have never heard of cortisol - including some doctors! lol And what about progesterone? Most people have heard of that.

[helvella in reply to greygoose]

Noradrenaline.

(Yes - a real hormone but comment meant to amuse more than inform. Will probably fail on both fronts. )

[RedApple in reply to helvella]

I think many people will know about adrenaline. Commonly used in phrases like' adrenaline rush', 'fight or flight response' etc.

[greygoose in reply to helvella]

Linguistically, I get it! 🤣🤣🤣

[samaja in reply to greygoose]

Most doctors think that progesterone is there solely to protect the womb lining and otherwise women don't need it. Fancy that the woman's body produces more progesterone than testosterone and oestrogen together 🤔

[greygoose in reply to samaja]

Most doctors know zilch about hormones, and are terrified of them!

[DippyDame]

Thank you helvella...will listen later.

An observation...

Triiodothyronine is surely one of the most important hormones....but is also one of the least understood and acknowledged

Without it the body slowly shuts down and death follows!!

[Zephyrbear in reply to DippyDame]

Probably too much of a mouthful for your average radio presenter… 😆 But they could have mentioned thyroid hormones.

[helvella in reply to Zephyrbear]

They do! Several times.