Hormonii: Forța nevăzută care ne modelează viața

by Saira Hameed, Monica Grecu (Translator)

Nu ai nevoie de o altă dietă sau de o aplicație de mindfulness pentru a-ți regla sistemul hormonal.

Află cum să investighezi indiciile corpului tău la fel cum o face un endocrinolog de top.

Dăm vina pe hormoni pentru orice: kilogramele luate inexplicabil, nopțile nedormite, anxietatea apărută din senin sau lipsa cruntă de energie. Sau, din contră, cădem în extrema cealaltă și punem totul pe seama „vieții” – ne spunem că suntem pur și simplu prea stresați la birou, că nu avem suficientă voință sau că trebuie să ne resemnăm pentru că „îmbătrânim”.

Renumita doctoriță endocrinolog Saira Hameed schimbă radical această perspectivă. Dă la o parte zgomotul digital, miturile și soluțiile-minune vândute pe internet, invitându-te într-o fascinantă muncă de detectiv medical. Cartea îți oferă claritatea de a face diferența crucială dintre disconfortul normal, trecător, și o disfuncție hormonală reală care îți cere atenție urgentă.

Corpul tău nu este defect și nu te sabotează. Să fii „hormonal” înseamnă pur și simplu să fii om. Prin poveștile profund umane ale pacienților săi, Dr. Hameed demonstrează că simptomele de care îți este rușine sau pe care încerci să le ascunzi sunt, de fapt, mesaje biologice prin care organismul încearcă să comunice cu el însuși.

Ce vei descoperi în interiorul acestui ghid esențial

1. Oboseală vs. Epuizare Suprarenală: Cum să deosebești oboseala după o zi grea de muncă de un sistem suprarenal care a uitat să mai elibereze cortizolul matinal.
2. Anxietate vs. Tiroidă Hiperactivă:> Află unde se trage linia fină, explicată medical, între un atac de panică generat de emoții și un dezechilibru tiroidian care îți turează inima și îți mimează perfect problemele psihologice.
3. Lipsă de voință vs. Metabolism Blocat: Descoperă ce se întâmplă în creier atunci când corpul nu mai răspunde la disciplină rigidă. Eșecul dietelor nu este o lipsă de ambiție, ci o eroare de comunicare a hormonului sațietății.
4. Îmbătrânire vs. Tranziție Hormonală: Cum să navighezi prin premenopauză și menopauză cu decizii bazate pe știință pură, lăsând la o parte frica și miturile despre terapia de substituție hormonală.

Această carte îți redă controlul asupra propriei biologii. Este ghidul esențial pentru a înceta să te mai lupți cu propriul organism, pentru a nu te mai învinovăți și pentru a învăța, în sfârșit, să-i traduci semnalele.

Oprește zgomotul digital. Ascultă adevăratele mesaje ale corpului tău.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Science

352 pages, Paperback

Published June 10, 2026

Reviews

[Katia N]

It is a brilliant book for those who are interested in the subject, but do not ready for the technical stuff. It is written as a mixture of a popular science, clinical cases and medical history. But the author has found a perfect balance between these three areas. It is not preachy and it is not too didactic as well.

For example, I've learned a lot of new interesting anecdotes about Dr Thomas Addison (1793-1860) who was the first to identify the adrenal failure, was brilliant scientist and the practitioner, but then retired to Brighton and didn't end well. Also I didn't know that Kennedy was a sufferer of Addison deceased and needed constant cortisol's top ups. As the author pointed out, we would never know how it has affected the Cuban crisis for example. Also there is a story of Frederick Grant Banting (1891 –1941) who was the first who has managed to derive insulin and therefore has ended the condemnation that was diabetes 1. He was a colourful if disagreeable character. God knows what would happened without his stubbornness and devotion to the course. He and his colleague has refused to patent the drug in America that has helped its quick spread. There were many others.

But the book is not a medical history per se. Dr Hameed is practicing experienced endocrinologist, a PhD. She shares a very enlightening set of cases. She underscores how it si important for a doctor to listen to a patient's 'story' and how unexpectedly something 'irrelevant' might become very relevant. The respect and interest in her patients shines through. I wish all the doctors would be like that.

I only wish she would expend and write in the same style about neurotransmitters like dopamine which is a hormone as well. But one cannot have it all.

The main her message that we do not unfortunately always define our destiny even if it seems so. I hormones play a huge role in this. But the progress of the medicine in the last few centuries makes some problems fixable. While the others like obesity and diabetes 2 epidemics are also the creation of progress to an extent.

[Gem ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part memoir part medical nonfiction this book delves into the often overlooked specialism of endocrinology. How our hormones govern all of our human functions, appearance, and even emotions.
This gives patient examples of different areas and different hormones and what can go wrong and how it can be controlled or reversed by medicine.
It is an honest and sometimes brutal look at the experiences of patients, doctors and their interactions and shortcomings.
I did struggle at times with the ways patients were described, it is a true reflection of how many doctors establish appointments with their patients but the often lack of empathy or connection was a sore point for me personally. This is the reality of medical training and the hierarchy of modern medicine and doctors are under a lot of pressures and balancing burnout weekly, but things do need to change in this regard to ever get a better whole body approach to health and wellness. This is also quite a lengthy book so doesn't always keep the flow going smoothly.
For anyone interested in hormones and medicine it is a book that provides unusual case studies and anecdotes and is something to get your teeth into if you can feel a detachment from the patients mentioned.

[Georgia Christie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the writing style and found there was a great balance between patient case studies, historical anecdotes, and biochemical+medical lessons. When it made me worry it almost always quickly assuaged my concerns and was a really wonderful snapshot of the field of endocrinology

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting and informative and well told.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Signals by Dr Saira Hameed is an absolutely brilliant book, focused on hormones and the health conditions caused by too much or too little of the main ones we rely on. They impact all aspects of our lives so more awareness is crucial. Everyone should read it!

Why did I enjoy it so much? It’s a really well-written and accessible book about medicine that could have easily become too scientific, but it wasn’t. Each chapter focuses on one particular hormone or medical issue from the perspective of the doctor with her patient, and then gives context and the backstory to how this condition was understood and how the medical community developed a cure or treatment. It covers fertility and IVF, Type 1 and Type Diabetes and obesity among many other medical conditions.

Lots to think about and I really hope the author writes a follow up on symptoms to look out for and the best courses of treatment.

Thanks to Dr Saira Hameed, Faber and Faber and NetGalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to review this ARC — opinions are entirely my own (though my hormones may have tried to get involved). With a background in Mental Health in the NHS, I’ve seen more than my fair share of the emotional, physical, and biochemical chaos that can masquerade as “just life.” So when this book popped up, my heart did a little leap. Yes, that was probably the hormones too. Five stars were already warming up in the wings.

Dr Saira Hameed, one of the UK’s leading endocrinologists, invites us into her clinic where hormones behave like over‑enthusiastic stage managers — pulling strings, dimming lights, and occasionally dropping the scenery on someone’s head. Through cases of exhaustion, infertility, disordered eating, obesity, palpitations, and sleep that behaves like a sulky teenager, she shows how these tiny chemical messengers run the whole show. We only notice them when they start throwing tantrums.

As we sit quietly in the corner of her consulting room, Hameed walks us through the science: from foetal development to childbirth, through the rollercoaster of menopause, and into the tangled territories of sleep disorders and weight regulation. Her storytelling is compassionate, clear, and peppered with the history of the scientists and doctors who first decoded these mysterious signals. She also takes a satisfying scalpel to the myths and nonsense that clutter the wellness world, leaving you with explanations that actually stick.

What I loved most is how reassuring the book is. Hormones aren’t mystical forces or moral failings — they’re simply part of being human. When they misfire, ignoring them won’t help. Understanding them might.

You don’t need a biology degree, a medical dictionary, or even a particularly cooperative pituitary gland to enjoy this. I’ll be recommending it widely when it’s published — it’s an illuminating guide to the chemical conversations happening inside all of us, whether we like it or not. There is, quite literally, no escape.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely fascinating and interesting book. As a menopausal woman this book caught my interest. Not about menopause but gave such an interesting and informative look into the way hormones control our bodies.
A fantastic style of writing that makes a complex subject understandable.

[Zo Smi · Rating 4 out of 5]

{ARC REVIEW} This book offers thorough coverage of some of the body's hormones, from their historical discovery to the mechanisms they are responsible for. The main hormonal areas covered are: fertility, metabolism, and diabetes.

Not long into the opening, however, I was wondering whether I need to know quite this much detail about hormones, suggesting I am not the ideal reader for this book. The book's description is limited. So, for those of you wondering whether to read this book, I'd say:
> You need to have a certain level of fascination with biology, hormones, and medical conditions.
> You mustn't be expecting to find any solutions to your own hormonal issues.

I am interested in hormones in regards menopause and how they link to sleep and muscle building. I've already watched various podcasts discussing hormones in this respect, and I surprised myself at how many things in Hameed's book I already knew. I also have a particular interest in HPA-axis dysregulation, and I was kind of hoping this book would offer more explanations and solutions to overcome such dysregulation, but at the same time, I already knew that research hasn't come so far yet, so I wouldn't find the answers in this book.

The writing is accessible for most levels of readers, and setting the discussion in real-life medical cases, including in patients Hameed has worked on herself, helps to alleviate potential dryness. In places, it can feel like a memoir.

I did like that Hameed included a chapter on patients with whom doctors can't seem to find anything wrong. I've often wondered what leads to a doctor declaring "There's nothing wrong with you!"

One thing I wasn't fond of:
> There are quite a few quotations inserted throughout. While I can see the connection to the surrounding text, the number of quotations was excessive and they sometimes interrupted the flow and made the discussion feel somewhat choppy. Biblical citations and allusions could have been dropped for me, personally.

[Sian Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really insightful, well written read.

I try to read one non-fiction book per month, and these are often health focused ones. While I always really enjoy them, they’re hardly gripping “just one more chapter” kind of reads. But weirdly, this one was?! I struggled to put it down. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but it must have been the engaging writing style which alternated with a good pace between a new anecdotal patient story each chapter and a more in depth medical look into what was going on behind the scenes in their body, the history of how a new condition was discovered, or how a diagnosis was made in the past. It was weirdly almost like a mystery, with a new clue being uncovered, then diving into what that might mean based on evidence (or lack of), then back for another clue.

In addition to the patients’ stories, the author’s was also told, including a quick plunge into the medical world during covid - something it’s hard to comprehend now, even just a few years later. I haven’t read much about the experiences of doctors during covid aside from a couple of editorials at the time, but I guess it’s history enough now that these stories are starting to emerge more. Obviously we all knew about what doctors were facing at the time, but hearing it from their own perspectives shines a new light on now we can look back on it rather than with the unknown panic at the time. I enjoyed this section and how it added depth and context to the book, but was short enough that it didn’t take over from the overall message.

I've already recommended this book to a couple of people, including reading whole sections aloud to my husband. If you're beginning a health journey and are interested in how hormones play a part in that, this is an insightful read for that. It gives more context to the role that hormones have in everyone's lives with excellent examples that show the complexity of it in a way that anyone can understand.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

[Aria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Signals is a fascinating, eye-opening read that makes a complex topic feel clear, relevant, and deeply human. Dr Saira Hameed brings both expertise and warmth to the subject, guiding readers through the world of hormones in a way that feels accessible without ever becoming overly simplified. I came away from this book feeling informed, empowered, and much more aware of how much hormones shape our daily lives.
What I loved most was how engaging and thoughtful this book is. It doesn’t just explain the science — it connects it to real life, making the information feel useful and immediate. The tone is reassuring and easy to follow, and the balance between medical insight and everyday understanding makes it a standout nonfiction read.
This is the kind of book that stays with you because it changes the way you think about your body and your health. If you’re interested in women’s health, medical nonfiction, or simply want a smarter, more readable take on hormones, Signals is an easy five-star recommendation.

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Signals" is a book about how we are all hormonal! Hormones are more important than most of us are aware and Dr Saira Hameed, an endocrinologist, talks the reader through some of the problems that occur when our hormones don't work properly and how medicine has sometimes, but not always, been able to fix these issues.

Even though there is a lot of science in this book which flew a little over my head, Dr Hameed does an amazing job of helping the reader to understand the basics. One of the best things she does is to use specific stories of her own patients. This helps to bring a human element to each topic and make the information relatable.

Overall, I found it really interesting and insightful and I feel it would be a relevant read to anyone who wants to understand the human body a little better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

[Nicola Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed reading this book. It was fantastically balanced, with tales from the clinic, patients and the authors own life and experiences. It was informative without being overwhelming and a perfect non-fiction book to both teach you about the intriguing world of hormones and the lives of people who have been affected by their dysfunction.

Each chapter focused on a different condition and hormone, of which I found incredibly easy to read. It’s well written and in an entertaining fashion that both gives respect to the profession and the patients and overall, I just found it a delight to read!

Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.

[S A · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating glimpse into the interweaving stories behind the unlocking of medical mysteries. The author grabs you with the human story of the patient, making each chapter a gripping read as their diagnosis and treatment unfolds, alongside a subtle insight into the life and challenges of a NHS doctor. I particularly enjoyed the medical history dotted beautifully within these gripping stories, explaining the eureka moments and fascinating characters that made the science possible. It was impossible to put this book down and I raced through it in a weekend. A hugely inspiring and entertaining treat.

[Sylvia Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating, clearly and compassionately written, a way for us all to stop judging others and to understand that sometimes our bodies just don't work properly, and it's not a failure on our part as a person, but it can be a failure of the medical system that we don't get access to the right treatment.
Anyway, well worth the time reading it and more. Learning about our bodies and how they work or not is always fascinating - with clear case studies and in depth understanding of the suffering that goes on in society from ignorance of health issues

[Abby Butts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read book about a function of the body thats really absract. She had some new research and some self help

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

💕💕💕💕💕

[Mary Tharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information,

[Ella Hänninen · Rating 5 out of 5]

NIIIIN mielenkiintoinen rakastin😍😍

[Kerry Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley and Faber for the opportunity to read this book.
Dr Saira Hameed takes us into the world of hormones and their ability to control many aspects of our lives.

This was a really interesting read. It can get a little medical jargon heavy at times but the real cases balance it out. The author does a good job at trying to explain things. I also liked the historical side and learning how things came about. Its fascinating to see the role they play and how much they can impact our lives. I'm always interested in knowing more about how our bodies work and this really helped to understand hormones more. A good read for anyone interested in the subject.

[Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fabulous. I love anything with a medical theme so when I saw this book I knew I’d find it interesting. It seems to follow a similar method of writing to another book I read some time ago, Critical by Dr Matt Morgan. For each function of the endocrine system, a patient is presented along with their symptoms, we’re then told how that function is meant to work and what could possibly have gone wrong. It will cover the history of discoveries, not only of treatments but of tests that can verify what is happening, even the history of discoveries made of how certain aspects of the endocrine system actually work.

Apparently this is how medical schools in the UK now teach, using Case-Based Learning, using a patient case as a framework to learn the science, history and potential cures. In other words a listening approach (to the patient) and detective work. This is exactly how this book is written making it easy to understand and absolutely fascinating to read.

What I found particularly gratifying was those doctors and scientists whose work went unrecognised at first, who discovered huge breakthrough’s and yet had no desire for financial reward. Their reward was just knowing that their work could help the many people whose hormones had gone wrong to the extent of being perhaps even life threatening, and that their discoveries could help resolve the patients suffering.

It certainly makes you think about how amazing the human body is, and how we really should take a little more care of what we put into it and stop taking it’s magical systems for granted. However the book isn’t preachy in any way, these are just my own conclusions that I’ve drawn from reading it, particularly in relation to Type 2 diabetes.

If you’ve ever wondered what those hormones in your body actually do, how they work together and how they keep you ticking along every day, then I would highly recommend this book – insightful, surprising, and completely absorbing to read. I enjoyed every page.

** It wasn't the audio book that I 'read' but it's the only edition listed on here. I read a Netgalley e-ARC. **

[Ciara B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting read, every chapter details a patient from symptom to diagnosis. The Author really sets the scene and you almost feel that you are sitting in the clinic room as an observer. I loved all the quotes from various poems scattered throughout.

The prejudice that the author and others had to endure at times is shocking to say the least.

The chapter on obesity should be mandatory for everyone who has contact with people living with obesity.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book which I rate as 4.5 rounded up to 5. I thought that the author’s journey was very interesting with its insights into the training of physicians and what daily life is like for an endocrinologist. The patient cases were fascinating and are an excellent method of teaching. I also thought that the science was well-explained and appropriate for a lay audience. One of my reasons for not giving the book a five was the writing style which I found to be too literary for my taste. I much prefer a more conversational tone. Another reason was that I found that the text at times strayed too far from hormones. Both of these brought me out of the story. Overall, though, this was an excellent read. Thank you to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the advance reader copy.

[julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant well researched read. As a retired veterinary nurse, I have always been interested in medicine that is recognised in both human and animal species. I loved this well written, informative book. I learnt so much! The author skilfully intertwines personal anonymised case histories with medical and historical facts.The chapter on working through covid brought this devastating nightmare vividly to life. Additionally, the chapter on HRT and menopause, citing research, is fabulous and allows women to make an informed decision. The author is clearly passionate and very knowledgeable about her subject. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the review copy.