Medicine & Health
What is Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers made by glands and carried in the blood to tell parts of the body what to do. They regulate growth, metabolism, mood, sleep, hunger, and much more.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains hormones.
Key things to understand
- 1They're produced by glands (the endocrine system) and travel via blood.
- 2Each hormone targets specific cells with matching receptors.
- 3They control growth, metabolism, reproduction, mood, and stress.
- 4Tiny amounts have big effects; imbalances cause many conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- What do hormones do?
- They act as chemical signals that regulate processes like growth, metabolism, mood, and reproduction.
- Where are hormones made?
- By glands of the endocrine system, such as the thyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands, and pituitary.
- What is insulin?
- A hormone from the pancreas that controls blood sugar by letting cells absorb glucose.