Metabolism
Pancreas (beta cells)
Insulin
The key that lets cells take in glucose from the blood for energy.
What it does
- Lowers blood sugar by moving glucose into cells
- Promotes storage of fat and glycogen
- Supports growth and cell repair
Too much
- Repeated high insulin (insulin resistance) is linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes and PCOS
Too little
- Too little (type 1 diabetes) causes high blood sugar, thirst, weight loss and, untreated, ketoacidosis
Keeping it balanced: A balanced diet lower in refined sugar, regular activity and healthy weight support insulin sensitivity.
Sources & references
Think a hormone may be out of balance?
The symptoms of hormonal excess and deficiency are non-specific — tiredness, weight change, low mood and poor sleep have many everyday causes. No hormone problem can be self-diagnosed from a symptom list.
Diagnosis needs blood tests interpreted alongside your history, sometimes repeated at set times of day because many hormones vary hour to hour. Speak to a GP if symptoms are persistent; seek urgent care for severe symptoms such as confusion, fainting, chest pain or extreme thirst with frequent urination.
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