The Forgotten Link: Hormones, Heritage, and the Immune System
The least researched connection in the health system today may also be one of the most far-reaching: the relationship between hormones and the immune system. For decades, the immune system was viewed largely in isolation—a closed-loop network that responded to invaders and infections. But today, it’s becoming clear that the body doesn’t work in isolated silos. It operates through complex, interwoven systems, and at the heart of this integration is the role of hormones. Hormones were first discovered in 1902 by British physiologists William Bayliss and Ernest Starling, who identified chemical messengers that traveled through the bloodstream to signal other parts of the body. They coined the term "hormone" from the Greek word hormōn, meaning “to set in motion.” That term has proven more accurate than ever, as we now understand that hormones help orchestrate everything from metabolism and growth to emotion and immunity. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, two key pla...