Hormones are important for helping our bodies produce energy. They affect how we use food and how our cells breathe. Let’s break down some key hormones and what they do:

1. Insulin:

   • Insulin is made in the pancreas when blood sugar levels are high.
   • It helps cells, especially in muscles and fat, absorb sugar. This process is called glycolysis, which turns sugar into a molecule that our bodies can use for energy, creating about 2 ATP energy units from one sugar molecule.
   • Insulin also helps store sugar in a form called glycogen. We can keep about 400 grams of glycogen in our liver and muscles for quick energy.

2. Glucagon:

   • Glucagon works differently than insulin. It comes out when blood sugar is low.
   • It helps break down glycogen back into sugar, raising blood sugar levels again. This gives our cells more sugar to create ATP energy through glycolysis and another process known as the Krebs cycle.

3. Thyroid Hormones (T3 and T4):

   • These hormones have a big impact on how fast our body uses energy.
   • They make our cells use more oxygen and can boost our metabolism by 60-100% in some parts of the body. This helps produce ATP in our cells.
   • A higher metabolism means we burn more energy, which can help keep our body temperature stable.

4. Catecholamines (like Adrenaline):

   • These hormones are released when we're stressed and help break down glycogen and fat for energy.
   • For example, adrenaline can increase the release of fatty acids from fat stores by 20-30%, giving the body another way to produce ATP.

5. Cortisol:

   • Cortisol is known as the stress hormone and also changes how we use energy. It helps convert proteins into sugar, making sure we have energy when we need it.

In short, hormones help control how our bodies make and use energy by managing sugar and fat, enzyme activity, and overall metabolism. Knowing how these hormones interact is important for understanding how our bodies keep energy balanced and how we use food.