Hormones, by definition, are regulatory substances that travel throughout the body to stimulate tissues and glands to perform specific actions. We consider them the body’s communicators.

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Here are some common hormones and their actions.

• Cortisol: released from the adrenal glands, cortisol stimulates glucose to be released from storage into the bloodstream for easy use, it also regulates energy throughout the day.

• Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone: as the name suggests, this hormone, which is released from the pituitary gland, stimulates the thyroid to produce thyroid hormones.

• Testosterone: the testes and ovaries produce and secrete testosterone (regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary glands), and it stimulates a wide array of actions, including hair growth, muscle growth, and sexual activity.

• Ghrelin: this hormone is primarily released by the stomach and stimulates appetite

• Estrogen: the ovaries produce and release most of the body’s estrogen, which stimulates a number of different actions throughout the body, including uterine contractions and libido.

Understanding Cortisol Levels

Many of the DUTCH profiles will include data about your cortisol levels throughout the day. Cortisol increases energy and is responsible for naturally waking us up in the morning when we don’t set an alarm.

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Safe or “normal” cortisol follows a very specific pattern throughout the day. Cortisol spikes in the morning between 6:00 am and 8:00 am with a steady decline throughout the day, reaching the lowest levels around 10:00 pm - midnight. Following an abnormal sleep-wake schedule can slightly change these levels, or can disrupt them completely.

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Spending most of your day chronically busy, stressed, or in “fight or flight” mode can cause chronically elevated cortisol and major changes in the normal cortisol levels.