From a world-leading hormones specialist, the definitive book on the science of hormones and how understanding the secrets of our body’s messengers can revolutionise our health and wellbeing Hormones are the messengers that drive every process in our body. They are essential to how we grow, fight disease and digest food; why we struggle to sleep, lose weight and manage stress – and so much more. When our hormones are imbalanced this can wreak havoc on our health, leading to conditions as far reaching as diabetes, infertility and heart disease. They also influence our personalities, how we feel and even the decisions we make. And yet for too long the power of our body’s messengers has been overlooked. In this vital book, international expert Dr Max Nieuwdorp transforms our understanding of our bodies. Combining stories from his day-to-day life treating his patients with amazing, cutting-edge new science, he reveals the crucial role that hormones play from our early years through to old age, exploring everything from the effect that smartphones have on our sleep and longevity to how our gut bacteria produce ‘happy’ hormones. This eye-opening, myth-busting book shines a light on the incredible and under-explored role of hormones, which are crucial not only to our health but to our moods, our relationships, and so much of what makes us who we are.