Hormonal Changes and Aging: What You Need to Know
Introduction As we grow older, we all experience various types of changes happening in our bodies, one of the most important being, the changes of hormonal balance. Hormones are defined as the chemical substances which are produced in the human body to send signals and control the metabolic system, growth as well as reproduction. The body always has a tendency to produce fewer amounts of essential hormones as a person ages, resulting in a number of physiological as well as psychological effects. For women, this stage of life comes with a very radical hormonal change with the end of reproduction, i.e., menopause, while men suffer from slow reduction of testosterone. The changes in level of these hormones therefore affects all of the physiological aspects including energy levels as well as moods and cognitive functions. In women, decreased estrogen and progesterone after menopause may predispose to hot flashes, night sweats, or irritability. In men, low testosterone levels can con...