Hormones play a vital role in controlling and managing different functions in the body, including the heart. According to the Endocrine Society, hormones are essential in maintaining cardiovascular health, but in high amounts, some hormones can contribute to heart disease. Sex, stress, and thyroid hormones are the ones with the most likelihood of influencing your heart health. Discover three ways hormones impact your heart health for good or for worse.
- Controlling Blood Pressure
Hormones can affect how narrow or thick the blood vessels get and how much fluid your body holds. The tighter the blood vessels get, the higher the blood pressure and vice versa. For instance, aldosterone and vasopressin tell the body to hold on to more water, thus increasing blood pressure.
On the other hand, adrenaline makes your vessels tighter, which increases your blood pressure when you are excited. Keeping blood pressure under control is essential because high blood pressure strains the heart vessels. Dr. Ian Weisberg, an expert cardiologist, recommends regular exercise, including biking, to regulate hormone levels and keep the whole body healthy.
- Changing Cholesterol Levels
Hormones control the amount of cholesterol your body makes, uses, and removes. Some hormones increase cholesterol levels, while others reduce them. For instance, estrogen in women lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol levels, while thyroid hormones affect how quickly cholesterol is absorbed in your body.
According to Yale Medicine, estrogen keeps the arteries flexible and promotes good cholesterol until menopause. High levels of bad cholesterol negatively impact heart health by blocking arteries and causing atherosclerosis (hardening and narrowing). Eat a nutritious diet and exercise regularly to keep your cholesterol levels in check.
- Making Blood Thick or Thinner
Proper blood clotting is critical for heart health. Without proper clotting, the sudden blood volume could lead to a condition called hemorrhagic shock. The heart must work harder to maintain blood pressure with less volume. On the other hand, too much clotting can cause heart problems such as coronary artery disease or ischemic stroke because of plaque buildup in the blood vessels.
Estrogen and progesterone affect blood clotting by increasing certain clotting factors. Thyroid hormones also make blood thicker or thinner by controlling the amount of clotting proteins in the blood. If you suspect you have abnormal blood clotting, you should seek medical assistance immediately.
Takeaway
The conversation on hormones has progressed in the last decade, especially as more people embrace holistic health. Understanding your hormones is an excellent step towards taking more control over your heart health. If you have a heart-related issue requiring a specialist, Dr. Ian Weisberg, a certified cardiac electrophysicist with decades of experience treating heart issues, can help you. Early intervention will likely result in better outcomes than waiting until things worsen.