How Hormones Influence Blood Pressure to Rise

Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body since they release certain cells that affect tissues, muscles, and organ cells. Hormones influence blood pressure, like in the case of our kidneys where the hormonal imbalance of insulin leads to a diabetic disorder that progresses with high blood pressure complications.

If all the hormonal systems are not functioning properly or in harmony, the effect is sodium reabsorption which adversely affects the kidneys. However, this can still be controlled by proper diet or medications.

If there is excess insulin, the kidneys will reabsorb the sodium. By this, it means the cells will be influenced to re-absorb the sodium in the blood stream to cause an imbalance in the cells' mineral contents.

In this case, the particular hormone insulin will have an indirect influence in elevating blood pressure. This is common among obese or overweight people who crave for more sugar that will result to the production of excess insulin thereby making them susceptible to high blood pressure.

Another hormonal system that affects the pressure of blood is the angiotensin-renin-aldosterone system. In this particular function, the adrenal glands will produce aldosterone hormones to primarily induce the kidneys to retain chloride and sodium, and emit potassium. Again causing a disparity of mineral contents in each cell.

The aldosterone hormones are produced by the adrenal glands located at the top of the two kidneys. Aldosterone will influence the kidneys and sweat glands (acts similar to kidney functions) to preserve sodium. Even though the adrenal glands generate the aldosterone, the kidneys regulate it by releasing the renin enzyme and the angiotensin hormone.

As the kidneys release renin, the release of angiotensin follows. Angiotensin constricts the arterioles and signals the adrenal to discharge more aldosterone. Angiotensin constriction increases peripheral resistance or a condition where there is difficulty in circulating blood.

Aldosterone release on the other hand will cause the retention of salt. As a result, both hormones influence blood pressure levels while in the process of circulating blood in the kidneys.

Another cause of high blood pressure is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system which will produce renin when under the influence of stress. As mentioned earlier, when renin is discharged, angiotensin follows thereby making the blood pressure to rise. As an example, the sympathetic nervous system is activated when somebody threatens or attacks you with bodily harm.

Further, the production of renin is common among Type A personalities who are always in a competitive mood thereby inducing them to have high blood pressure. This is often treated by certain drugs that that will block the production of renin so that the angiotensin hormone will not influence the blood pressure.

Other factors being considered in the excessive production of renin are inadequate supply of magnesium in the body, serious illnesses leading to high blood pressure (secondary hypertension) and the rate at which the kidneys excrete sodium (natriuretic factors).

As can be inferred from the above, when a diet is high or low in sodium, it creates an imbalance of mineral contents in the cells where sodium is often the excessive substance.

Any excess of sodium over the calcium, potassium, and magnesium content in our body cells can trigger hormonal imbalance in our body system particularly the kidneys. Hormones influence blood pressure as a result of a series of chain reactions that emanates from improper dietary intakes.