hypothalamus

keithdolby

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hi,

I was reading that the hypothalamus has many roles to play and regulating hormone is just one of its roles. After going on hormone therapy, I realize I have stopped the natural production regulated by the hypothalamus and pituatary. I was wondering if going on hormone therapy affects the rest of the roles the hypothalamus plays including appetite control, body temp, regulation of breathing, etc. I am concerned that I am somehow interfering with these natural functions of the body since I have shut the hormone regulating part of the hypothalamus/pitutary. Thanks
 
The Matrix

The Matrix

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hi,

I was reading that the hypothalamus has many roles to play and regulating hormone is just one of its roles. After going on hormone therapy, I realize I have stopped the natural production regulated by the hypothalamus and pituatary. I was wondering if going on hormone therapy affects the rest of the roles the hypothalamus plays including appetite control, body temp, regulation of breathing, etc. I am concerned that I am somehow interfering with these natural functions of the body since I have shut the hormone regulating part of the hypothalamus/pitutary. Thanks
Any kind of stress (biological, emotional, spiritual, environmental, nutrients, lifestyle (steroid, recreation drugs, alcohol, lack of sleep) can cause disruptions in the HPTA. A good dr should rule each one of these out, but only a few ever take the time. If you are located in the east coast and want some one that will look at each one of these Pm me.
 

slacker86

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hi,

I was reading that the hypothalamus has many roles to play and regulating hormone is just one of its roles. After going on hormone therapy, I realize I have stopped the natural production regulated by the hypothalamus and pituatary. I was wondering if going on hormone therapy affects the rest of the roles the hypothalamus plays including appetite control, body temp, regulation of breathing, etc. I am concerned that I am somehow interfering with these natural functions of the body since I have shut the hormone regulating part of the hypothalamus/pitutary. Thanks
The hypothalamus plays a very vital role in all of these things, whick hormone specifically was addressed by hormone therapy?

I dont think one hormone area of natural production shutting down will have much effect on the functioning on the actual hypothalamus or the pituitary. Almost all the hormones are regulated by a negative feedback system so if one becomes too high of a concentration natural production limits or ceases just as if it where low it would cause increased secretion of the particular hormone. Generally in regaurds to hormones the ceasation of production due to externally introduced hormones wont effect the body much if at all (in terms of the hypothalamus or pituitary) but more or less the glad or organ in which that hormone is regulated.
A good way to test if your hypothalamus is not working well is a temperature test because the anterior hypothalamus detects increases in body temps and makes correct measures to prevent heat stroke (ie sweating), the posterior hypothalamus does the same but of senseing cold (ie the shiverring reaction).
As far as the Anterior and posterior pituitary its much harder to tell the difference because the major role of the pituitary is hormone regulation, (and there are many hormones it regulates), rather than listing every hormone out the posterior pituitary regulates (ADH) antidiuretic hormone (urination levels) and oxtocin. A good test for this would to see if you retain water while sweating or have increased urine while drinking excess water or alcohol (which inhibits ADH). As for the Anterior pituitary it regulates almost every other hormone in the body, one of the most noticeable would be insulin, if insulin is not secreted in proper amounts there are a varriety of possible side effects generally similar to being diabetic. A site very easy to monitor on men is obviously the Testes because of their testosterone production, decrease in size means they are producing less testosterone.
However the chance of one area of hormone therapy or replacement has very little effect on other hormones unless the amount of the hormone being introduced to the body is in abnormal levels.
The last thing to remember is that hormones are not produced in the hypothalamus but it is the "central control" area of regulation and that only hormone glands and organs are effected (in general). Of course there are variables depending on hormone concentration but it should not impact your bodies ability to regulate other hormones.
 

keithdolby

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thanks for the responses. I am on testosterone therapy, thyroid, cortisol, 6000's ius of d3, those are the hormones I am on. I do not know a great deal about the human body, so that is why I am concerned that I am somehow affecting the rest of my pitutary/hypothalamus since the hormones I am on clearly affect the pitutary. I read on WIKI that the hypothalamus regulates thirst, hunger, body temperature, circadian cycles, and activities of the autonomic nervous system. Slacker86, you said alot in your post, did you say that these other functions of the hypothalamus are not really affected by being on hormones? Thanks
 

slacker86

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thanks for the responses. I am on testosterone therapy, thyroid, cortisol, 6000's ius of d3, those are the hormones I am on. I do not know a great deal about the human body, so that is why I am concerned that I am somehow affecting the rest of my pitutary/hypothalamus since the hormones I am on clearly affect the pitutary. I read on WIKI that the hypothalamus regulates thirst, hunger, body temperature, circadian cycles, and activities of the autonomic nervous system. Slacker86, you said alot in your post, did you say that these other functions of the hypothalamus are not really affected by being on hormones? Thanks
It gets very technical from this point on in terms of doseage, what you actual numbers where, where they were at age 18 ("high of most hormone levels") and percentage decrease through the years. As far as the hypothalamus and the pituitary you could think of like the hypothalamus as like 1st brain (more control over everything including the pituitary) and the pituitary as the second but more actively involved in gladular activity brain. They are the control centers for ALL the (endocrine) hormones in the body. High doseages of Cotrisol has very little effect on the body and is highly metabolised by the liver and kidneys, it would be highly unlikely that in any dose it could ever be detrimental to they body via, negative feedback systesms (the natural production of cotisol would cease) and the fact that any additional unused cortisol is broken down by the liver and kidneys. By thyroid hormone I am assuming you mean TSH (thryoid stimulating hormone) this is also a negative feedback system and as well a highly metabolised hormone via liver and kidneys, it also is only measured generally when their is a deficiet, and thats noticed by the physical symptons (ie a goiter of some sort by the thyroid and swolen lymph node glands). Testosterone's primary focus is the building of sperm (#1 concern) and building and or retaining lean muscle mass (#2 concern). Generally the effects of testosterone and its effects on other hormones in the body is more studied and generally understood than most other hormones. Increased Test levels can cause estrogen to increase (which is not a problem unless the ratio of test to estrogen changes ie a 3:1 test to estrogen ratio changes to a 6:3 ratio, then problems start to become apparent ie more production of prolactin).

As far as all the hormones you have mentioned relatively to all the body systems they are "low gain" systems which means its hard for the body to maintain a certain degree of "steady state" internally. Where as heat production and cooling is a "high gain" and can be managed much more efficiently with more variables introduced. This means that there is a degree of fluctuation that is much more (this isnt the best word but closest) allowed by the body.

Now before I get really technical because to do that I would need basically your entire medical history for me to look up (and thats illegal to ask for nor would i even attempt to do that over the internet). If you are truly worried see an Endocrinologist, they specialize in this department.

So lets go by hypothalamic responses to stimulus in order of how you presented them.
Thrist-ADH (anti-diuretic hormone) very low chance of this being effected by any of the hormones mentioned above, that being said increased test levels do sometimes increase amount of water needed by the body, this may increase some urination, but will not actually impact the concentration of ADH. The effect is only a result of increased water intake.

Hunger- Due to the metalbolic changes from increaseing ones testosterone hungey can increase (primeraly due to increase in anabolism-synthesis of cells). This is not actually anything bad and probably is good at the appropriate ages and has little not no effect by the other hormones introduced.

Temperature- There are no naturally occuring hormones that could interfere with this response. This response is purely from stimulation of skin cells and deep tissue cells. This is more of a electrical response rather than a chemical response and is more directly linked to neurons and myelin and afferent and efferent nerve activity than any chemicals. This would be one area that is 110% not effected by hormone therapy (FOR MEN). Hot flashes and other female characteristics of aging do appear to have some sort of impact on it but unless you are female there is no impact what so ever.

Circadian rhythms- The most associated pathology to this term is generally sleep cycles. Sleep cycles do change and one gets older and those cycles are mainly dependent on hormone levels. Now this one is the most complicated of them all. Sleep cycles are dependent on 1-retinal ganglion 2-SCN (suprchiasmatic nucleus) 3-Pineal gland and 4-amount of seratonin levels in the body (ie defeciet or too much). The retinal ganglion senses a decrease in light (due to photons) thus they become less active and send that message to the SCN, which in turn relays that message to the Pineal gland. The pineal is the end of the transmission of messages and once the pineal recieves the messages that light is dimming it starts converting seratonin to melatonin (which is a sleep aid). AS it gets darker % of melatonin created from seratonin increases and thus the circadian rhythm is kept on track due to environmental factors. The effects of hormones is very much individualized, some help people others hurt. Unless you feel signs of depression (may be slight) there is generally no worry that available seratonin levels cannot meet the demands of the Pineal gland to transfer over to melatonin. That being said, depression, sleep deprivation, caffine, bad air quality all have impacts on seratonin. It is hard to figure out weather the cause is environmental or pathological.

I know this is a lot of info and is not necessarily a straight forward answer but its the truth and the functions of these systems. If there are any additional questions please ask, but my recomendation is always to see a doctor if there is worry.
 

keithdolby

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Thanks for the detailed post Slacker86, I think you answered my question saying that the other functions of the hypothalamus/pitutary, like sleep/wake cycle, hunger, body temperature, etc., is not really affected by going on traditional hormone therapy. Thats what I was mostly concerned about, I knew I would be shutting down the hypothalamus/pitutary on the hormone level, but I did not know if I was shutting the whole hypothalamus/pitutary down so that my hunger,sleep-wake cycle, body temp., etc. would be directly affected and no longer working. Thanks
 

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