Question

How would it be possible to have the normal amount of a hormone circulating in the blood and yet have symptoms that indicate a shortage of that hormone?

Answer 1

It be possible to have the normal amount of a hormone circulating in the blood and yet have symptoms that indicate a shortage of that hormone because the Hormones travel throughout the body, either in the blood stream or in the fluid around cells, looking for target cells. Once hormones find a target cell, they bind with specific protein receptors inside or on the surface of the cell and specifically change the cell's activities.

Explanation for more clarity on Harmones:

A hormone will only act on a part of the body if it ‘fits’. A hormone can be thought of as a key, and its target site (such as an organ) has specially shaped locks on the cell walls. If the hormone fits the cell wall, then it will work.

The hormones can set off a cascade of other signaling pathways in the cell to cause an immediate effect (for instance, insulin signaling leads to a rapid uptake of glucose into muscle cells) or a more delayed effect (glucocorticoids bind to DNA elements in a cell to switch on the production of certain proteins, which takes a while to produce).

The endocrine system is a tightly regulated system that keeps the hormones and their effects at just the right level. One way this is achieved is through ‘feedback loops’. The release of hormones is regulated by other hormones, proteins or neuronal signals.

The released hormone then has its effect on other organs. This effect on the organ feeds back to the original signal to control any further hormone release. The pituitary gland is well known for its feedback loops.

Hormones are responsible for many of your body’s major processes. When hormones get out of balance, the symptoms can be extremely varied.

Hormonal imbalance can cause a variety of serious complications, so it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible.