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Insulin sensitivity: resistance training -

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that essentially regulates sugar levels in your bloodstream. Insulin resistance will cause high blood sugar levels, which can lead to health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

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Insulin sensitivity: resistance training -

Regular exercise can do wonders for this. More specifically, resistance training. Working out consistently will not only lower insulin resistance, but will actually increase insulin sensitivity.

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Thyroid hormones: moderate-to-high intensity cardio -

The thyroid produces several hormones that help regulate your metabolism. An overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism) thyroid can negatively affect your metabolism, and consequently your health.

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Thyroid hormones: moderate-to-high intensity cardio -

Studies have found that moderate-to-high intensity cardiovascular exercise can help regulate your thyroid hormones.

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Endorphins: acute cardiovascular exercise -

Endorphins, also known as "feel-good" hormones, are produced in the brain and play a vital role in our mood and mental health in general. Increasing its production naturally through exercise can have a positive impact on our lives.

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Endorphins: acute cardiovascular exercise -

Running, dancing, or even a vigorous walk can release these. You may be familiar with the term “runner’s high,” which describes the release of endorphins by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. This can also be achieved by other types of acute cardiovascular workouts.

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Oxytocin: martial arts -

Oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone," is released mostly when there is physical touch, such as cuddling a loved one. But it turns out oxytocin production can also be boosted through exercise.

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Oxytocin: martial arts -

This can be achieved by most martial arts, with grappling ones (e.g. Brazilian jiu-jitsu) having a slight advantage over striking martial arts (e.g. karate). This is most likely due to more close physical contact.

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Dopamine: running -

Dopamine is our natural reward system, and that’s why it plays such a big role in addiction. Working out can indeed trigger the release of dopamine by our adrenal gland.

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Dopamine: running -

Low dopamine levels have been associated with a number of conditions, including depression and Parkinson's disease, to name a few. Running is one of the most popular ways to boost it, though any other exercise will also contribute to this.

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Serotonin: cardiovascular training -

Serotonin plays a number of roles in numerous vital processes, including sleep and mood regulation, to name a few.

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Serotonin: cardiovascular training -

Exposure to sunlight is a natural way to boost serotonin production. Another one is through exercise. A regular exercise regime, especially containing some sort of cardiovascular training, can help balance serotonin levels.

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Melatonin: step aerobics -

Melatonin plays a crucial role in our circadian rhythm. In general, our sleep-wake cycle responds to light and darkness, releasing more or less melatonin, but exercise can also help.

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Melatonin: step aerobics -

Several studies have found that exercise can indeed increase the nighttime release of melatonin, providing the workout is done during the day. One of these studies was pretty successful in postmenopausal women, who followed a 10-week step aerobics program.

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Cortisol management: high-intensity training -

Exercising is a form of stress, and as such, the body releases the stress hormone cortisol when we work out. This is especially true when we perform high-intensity workouts.

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Cortisol management: high-intensity training -

While this release of cortisol might not seem ideal, the great thing about working out is that although it raises cortisol in the short term, it does exactly the opposite in the long term, when we’re at rest.

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Adrenaline management: aerobic exercise -

Adrenaline is released as a response to acute stress. It’s part of our survival mechanism and it’s crucial in our "fight-or-flight" response to danger. High levels of adrenaline all the time, however, are not good for your health.

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Adrenaline management: aerobic exercise -

Like cortisol, adrenaline is also released during exercise. And also like cortisol, studies have suggested that regular exercise is the key to keep adrenaline levels stabilized, despite the raise during exercise.

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Vasopressin: high-intensity exercise -

Many people associate vasopressin with its antidiuretic function, but this hormone also plays a key role in other bodily functions, including fluid balance, kidney function, and blood pressure.

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Vasopressin: high-intensity exercise -

Research suggests that high-intensity exercise may increase vasopressin production. While this is good news in general, there is a caveat: it can lead to low sodium levels and consequently an electrolyte imbalance. This can be countered by adding salt to your water or adding electrolytes to your drink.

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Estrogen and progesterone: high-intensity aerobic exercise -

Estrogen and progesterone are key hormones in female health. They influence a number of processes, from the reproductive system to mood and immune function. It turns out some forms of exercise can decrease the levels of these hormones in women.

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Estrogen and progesterone: high-intensity aerobic exercise -

While these hormones are extremely important to a woman’s overall health, too much of them has been associated with a number of health problems, including some types of breast cancer. High-intensity aerobic exercise can help keep these in check.

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Testosterone: sprinting -

Testosterone is an important hormone that plays a role in libido, motivation, and contributes to the increase in lean muscle mass. Men have higher levels of testosterone when compared to women, but both benefit from healthy levels of it.

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Testosterone: sprinting -

It is well known that resistance training is an effective way to naturally raise testosterone levels, but so is sprinting. So, you don’t really have to go to the gym to increase your testosterone through training.

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Leptin (during pregnancy): all types of exercise -

Leptin’s main function is to regulate appetite, and it does so by reducing or increasing hunger. This hormone is usually impacted by the person’s level of body fat.

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Leptin (during pregnancy): all types of exercise -

Though an imbalance can also happen during pregnancy. But exercising (particularly during the later stages of pregnancy) may increase leptin, which can lead to a decrease in the weight of the baby.

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Too much, too often, can lead to hormone imbalance -

With all this said, keep in mind that exercising too frequently at a high intensity can really mess up your hormones.

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Too much, too often, can lead to hormone imbalance -

However, this is not a concern for most people, so you’ll most likely reap all the positive effects of working out.

Sources: (Health Digest) (Cleveland Clinic) (Mayo Clinic)

See also: How to exercise safely and effectively

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