Can Hormonal Imbalances Increase the Risk of Heart Disease?

Introduction

The endocrine system consists of many glands involved in the secretion of hormones responsible for various functions such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Hormones act as chemical messengers and signal the organs to perform various functions. The endocrine system includes the thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, pituitary glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, and testes in males and ovaries in females. These hormones influence the body's various systems, including the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels). Hormones play a crucial role in regulating heart function, while elevated levels of hormones contribute to cardiovascular diseases. The core indicators of heart health are diet, cholesterol, physical activity, blood pressure, and smoking. Socioeconomic factors play a significant role in these indicators.

How Do Hormones Impact Heart Health?

Estrogen protects the heart by reducing inflammation and improving blood circulation. Women are at high risk of heart disease when estrogen levels decrease. Testosterone is predominantly a male hormone that balances muscle mass and bone density. Men who have low testosterone levels are at high risk of heart disease. The thyroid gland is a major gland involved in regulating the metabolism of the body. Hypothyroidism, also called underactive thyroid, is linked to an increased risk of high cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Hormone imbalances increase the risk of heart disease by affecting blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glucose metabolism. Cortisol is an additional hormone that can raise the risk of heart disease. The adrenal glands respond to stress by releasing the stress hormone cortisol. Chronic stress can cause high amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which can raise cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. is also impacted by thyroid hormones. An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can result in excessive cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease, whereas an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) can raise heart rate and blood pressure.

How Do Low Insulin Levels Increase the Heart Disease Risk?

There are many hormones linked to cardiovascular diseases. But the most important hormone is insulin. When insulin levels are very low, blood glucose levels shoot up.

• High blood glucose levels from diabetes damage the nerves and blood vessels of the body. This damage, over time, leads to heart disease.

• The hormones that are linked to diabetes include insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone.

• Growth hormones are essential for building muscle and bone, but when their levels are too high, they contribute to diabetes.

• Heart diseases and diabetes often go hand in hand. Plaque build-up in the blood vessels is the primary reason for coronary artery disease. The plaque is nothing but a fibro-fatty tissue (cholesterols) that sticks to the blood vessel's inner side, disrupting the normal blood flow to the heart.

• The decreased blood flow to the heart leads to ischemia (low blood flow to the heart).

• Diabetes increases LDL (low-density cholesterols) levels that form plaques on the blood vessel. The high triglycerides are contributing factor to the hardening of the blood vessels. In diabetic patients, triglyceride (cholesterol) levels are high.

How Does the Female Sex Hormone Estrogen Increase the Heart Disease Risk?

Estrogen is a female sex hormone predominantly, but it is also present in males. The ovaries and adrenal glands produce estrogen. The females produce more estrogen. Estradiol is the main estrogen produced by the ovaries. Estradiol is involved in regulating bone growth, cognitive function, and reproduction. Estradiol is the main estrogen hormone produced during reproduction and the predominant female sex hormone. Estrogen increases clotting factors that are responsible for increased blood clots.

The effects of estrogen include:

• Promotes blood clot formation.

• Increases the good cholesterol.

• Decreases the bad cholesterol.

• When estrogen levels go down, the LDL levels increase and the HDL (high-density lipoprotein) levels decrease, which leads to cholesterol and fat build-up in the blood vessels. The plaque accumulation contributes to stroke and heart attack.

• The estrogen changes the blood vessel wall making it more likely to form plaque and blood clots. The low estrogen cause an inflammatory response in the blood vessels in response to cholesterol.

• This inflammation can constrict the blood flow to the heart. It makes the blood vessels stiffer and less elastic.

• After menopause, when the estrogen levels decrease, it raises the levels of LDL in the blood and decreases the HDL levels.

• The increased LDL levels build cholesterol and fats in the arteries, contributing to stroke and heart attack.

Can High Levels of Cortisol Contribute to Cardiovascular Disease?

Cortisol is essential for the maintenance of blood pressure. Excess cortisol causes high blood pressure. Cortisol is important for blood glucose regulation, inflammation reduction, and metabolism regulation. There are two adrenal glands, one at the top of each kidney, and consists of two parts:

• The outer adrenal cortex.

• The inner adrenal medulla.

The adrenal cortex is divided into three zones that secrets the following hormones:

• Zona glomerulosa secretes mineralocorticoids.

• Zona fasciculata secretes glucocorticoids.

• Zona reticularis secretes sex steroids

Cortisol and corticosterone are examples of glucocorticoids. High levels of glucocorticosteroids cause osteoporosis (a bone disease where the bone mineral density decreases), so growth hormone is required for normal bone remodeling. The high levels of cortisol cause the following symptoms:

• Weight gain.

• High blood sugar level.

• High blood pressure.

• Weak bones and fractures.

Low levels of cortisol cause the following symptoms:

• Fatigue.

• Unintentional weight loss.

• Poor appetite.

• Low blood pressure.

Studies suggest that high levels of cortisol increase the cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood sugar levels in the body. Long-term exposure can increase the risk of health, such as heart disease, obesity, anxiety, and depression. The following are the conditions in which cortisol levels are high:

• A poor diet.

• Sepsis (infection).

• Overactive thyroid gland.

• Depression.

• Untreated diabetes.

• Heart diseases.

Conclusion

Hormones are chemical substances that regulate many functions of the body, like development, growth, behavior, and reproduction. Over 50 hormones are produced in the body. They are secreted as chemical messengers by the endocrine cells that act on the target tissues and produce the desired metabolic effects. They can do both inhibitory and excitatory actions. The main function of hormones is the maintenance of homeostasis. They exhibit effects only after binding to specific receptors. This reaction leads to biochemical changes in the target tissues that lead to the regulation and integration of body functions. High levels of hormones can disrupt the normal function of the body. So a healthy diet and brisk physical activity play a crucial role in controlling heart disease. It is essential to control cholesterol, manage blood pressure, lose weight, and stop smoking.