Hormones, these unknowns: they are the directors of health but 1 in 2 Italians don't know it
It is estimated that 3 out of 4 people will sooner or later be confronted with a hormonal problem that underlies 30% of chronic diseases and cancers
Key points
Many dozens of hormones circulate in our body, such as insulin, testosterone, cortisol, oestrogen, prolactin, adrenalin, thyroid hormones, melatonin, leptin, growth hormone and many others. Each of them has a very specific function: they are essential for coping with stress, growing, regulating metabolism, determining sexual function and fertility, but also for cognitive processes and general well-being. Yet hormones remain a big unknown for most Italians, who underestimate them and do not know how to keep them healthy or prevent alterations. This is explained by Diego Ferone, President of the Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE) and Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Genoa - recalling that imbalances can lead to many pathologies, from obesity to diabetes, from thyroid diseases to neuroendocrine tumours, from osteoporosis to infertility, and more than 400 rare diseases directly related to the endocrine system.
Hormones underlying chronic diseases
It is estimated that, over a lifetime, 3 out of 4 people will sooner or later have to deal with a hormonal problem that is at the root of 30% of chronic diseases and 1 in 4 cancers. 'Hormones,' Ferone continues, 'are the 'directors' of our health, but half of Italians do not know this. They are biological messengers produced by endocrine glands such as the pituitary gland, thyroid, pancreas, testicles and ovaries. But also by every other tissue and organ in our body: adipose tissue, stomach and intestines, heart, kidneys, skin, lungs and bone'. Hormones tell us when to go to sleep, when to stop eating, how to regulate our body pressure, 'but hormonal imbalance can lead to the development of 30% of the most widespread chronic diseases, in which the environmental component is also crucial, but which in many cases can be prevented, such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, thyroid diseases, growth disorders, infertility and sexual dysfunction'. For Ferone, there are more than 400 rare endocrine diseases that affect millions of people in Europe, but are often not recognised. Precisely to spread information about the impact of hormones on daily life, experts have promoted awareness, education and prevention events throughout Italia on the occasion of World Hormone Day 2026.
Hormones, where to turn
'Despite the extraordinary impact on health, most Italians do not know how to deal with possible deficiencies and alterations and who to turn to when they arise,' emphasises Salvatore Cannavò, president-elect of the SIE and professor of Endocrinology at the University of Messina. Symptoms to look out for, which may mask problems with the endocrine system, are unexplained weight variations, sleep disorders, changes in appetite, brittle nails and hair, excessive tiredness, dry skin, persistent thirst, lowered mood, decreased sexual desire and infertility. In the presence of these bells and whistles, it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist".
