Hormones in the Human Body

Transplantation of different organs of the human body has now become possible because of the advancement of medical science and technology. However, no progress has yet been made in the field of surgical operations of the hormonal glands. In case of kidney or lung failure, the damaged or diseased organ is replaced and the transplanted organ gives almost a new and healthy life to the patients…; legs, hands or ribs etc. - Lost or damaged due to an accident or disease - can be replaced or given mechanical support to run the chores of the body…. But trying a surgical operation or medical treatment on the hormone secreting (endocrine) glands is dangerous like putting one's hands in fire. In pure anatomical terms, these glands do not seem to play any role and appear as unnecessary 'abscess', which could be cut and removed without any apparent trouble. However, as stated earlier, doing so could invite abnormalities that might prove to be worse than death.

Deeper research into the effects of hormones has reveled that not only the bodily functions but the complex mental reflections and emotions are also associated with the endocrine system. The endocrine glands play a major role in shaping the overall personality of an individual. Graham Hazscrines has indicated these aspects in his work on 'Endocrine Glands and body Adjustments'. He writes that - "Until the recent past, the effects of hormonal secretions were considered to be more intense on the body and only partially associated with mental conditions. However, now these convictions have changed and we have to accept their dominance over the mental activities too".

In his book entitled 'Machinery of the Body', J. Carlson has highlighted, besides the gross effects on sexual desire and reproductive potency, the effects of hormones on the psychological compatibility of married couples. He further writes that the inherent mentality of a child is also based on his hormones, heredity and genetic connections molecular levels. A natural question that arises here is -- "What is the original source of exhilaration or suppression of the specificity of a gene or a pool of genes?" In depth investigations on such issues would show that it is the regulatory machinery of the hormones, which controls the transmission of inherent biological characteristics and behavioral tendencies from one generation to the other and also gives originality to an individual.

Occurrences of phenotypes and tendencies that are different from immediate ancestors are often attributes by the geneticists to the manifestations of the genotypes inherited from hundreds of generations ago. They tend to neglect the fact that the stimulation of specific hormone driven activity can bring drastic changes in any generation.

Professor Dorsap of the Endocrinology Department of the Chicago University has found the juicy secretions from the spleen as of utmost important for proper functioning of the digestive system and the metabolic activities. He describes these secretions as regulators of the healthy functioning of the stomach and the intestines too. According to him, one likes or disliking for different types of foods also depends on the spleen-secretions.

There are many examples where poor people who hardly eat any fatty substances are found to be very bulky; the fat or overweight of many people does not reduce despite abstaining from eating potatoes, rice, sugar and fatty eatables. Such observations indicated that obesity or weight of the body does not necessarily depend on the type of food. Similar facts are seemed in case of the condition of individual organs and subsystems of the body. Even when the structure and physical health of the brain is normal, one's mind might become sick or overexcited or his power of thinking might turn illusive, unreasonable or insane. In such situations, treatment of the gross components of the brain would not serve any purpose; because the organs function like 'puppets' under the regulatory control of the endocrine system. The latter is mainly responsible for efficient or defective functioning of the otherwise healthy faculties of the body and mind. What controls the endocrine system? Every attempt to decipher this enigmatic code leads to a labyrinth of further queries in Endocrinology, Neurochemistry, psychology and related sciences. Recent findings at the interface of Neurosciences and Yoga and Spirituality add entirely new dimension with exciting hopes! Future articles under this column will take us further along this intriguing quest in the amazing world of our 'own' Hormones.