As well as sending high-speed signals along the nervous system, the body also uses chemicals called hormones to carry messages to specific parts. These hormones are produced and released into the bloodstream by the tissues and glands of the endocrine system.
There are about 50 different kinds of hormone, made by a dozen or so major glands as well as some organs. As it travels around the body, each hormone targets a particular cell or tissue to alter how it works. Hormones control growth, hunger, sleep, reproduction, and many other functions of the body.
Hormone levels that are too high or too low indicate a problem with the endocrine system. Hormone diseases also occur if your body does not respond to hormones in the appropriate ways. Stress, infection and changes in the blood’s fluid and electrolyte balance can also influence hormone levels, according to the National Institutes of Health.
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