Hormones are chemical substances made in endocrine glands and released into the bloodstream. They affect the body in different ways and need to be present in the right amounts to prevent health related problems. Some endocrine glands in the body...
The adrenal glands, two small triangle-shaped glands, reside just above each kidney. The adrenal glands consist of two sections: the outer portion known as the adrenal cortex, and the inner portion known as the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex...
People with symptoms of Cushing's disease are tested to see if a tumor in the pituitary gland is releasing a high amount of the adrenocorticotropic hormone, for this type of tumor causes the disease. The hormone stimulates the adrenal glands to...
Caffeine is a potent stimulator of the central nervous system and very popular; approximately 90 percent of people worldwide consume at least one of several different sources of caffeine, according to Brown University Health Education. The...
Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, which lie on top of your kidneys. It is regulated by adrenocorticotropic hormone from your pituitary gland. When the adrenal glands cannot work properly and cortisol levels do not reach...
The endocrine system produces hormones---chemicals produced in one part of the body to regulate another part of the body. Hormones regulate nearly all cellular functions. The adrenal glands, a pair of glands located above each kidney, work within...
The adrenal glands make and release more than one hormone. The two adrenal glands in the body are each located above the kidneys. They produce hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, aldosterone and male sex hormones collectively...
Diseases associated with a high cortisol level, or hypercortisolism, typically come to the attention of patients and their doctors because of the distinctive signs and symptoms associated with excess cortisol. Patients with hypercortisolism...
DHEA sulphate, or DHEA-S, is a slightly more active form of the sex hormone DHEA, with the addition of a sulfate molecule containing one oxygen and four sulfur atoms. DHEA-S is converted back and forth from DHEA to DHEA-S by steroid sulfatase, or...
Addison's disease, or primary adrenal insufficiency, is the inadequate production and release of hormones from the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are found on top of both kidneys and are responsible for the production of epinephrine,...
Since the causes of ectopic cushing syndrome may not be preventable, the best approach to prevention is to identify the tumors that result from this condition as quickly as possible. In general, cushing syndromes are the result of glutocorticoid...
Seizure activity in infants may be indicative of underlying conditions. Treatment varies according to the type of seizure and the underlying causes. The University of Maryland Medicine lists possible causes as congenital defects, fever, trauma...
The pituitary gland, located at the base of the skull, is a small organ responsible for secreting various hormones. The pituitary is important for controlling temperature, growth, thyroid activity and sexual function. Because the pituitary is...
Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for life. In your body, it is used for a multitude of functions, including the regulation of heart beat, the functioning of muscles and nerves and the maintenance of healthy bones. Estrogen is the female...
The adrenal glands are located in the trunk of the body just above each kidney. As part of the endocrine system, these glands produce hormones that are vital for coordinating the proper balance of activity between the body's other organ systems....
Cortisol is a corticosteroid --- a steroid hormone produced in the cortex, or outer area of your adrenal glands. It is called the "stress hormone" because it is released as part of your body's response to stress. Long-term stress can increase...
Cortisol is an important hormone that is involved in many important biological processes within the human body including regulation of glucose levels. Diseases and medications that affect cortisol levels can significantly alter blood glucose...
Cushing's syndrome results from prolonged elevations in glucocorticoids in the body. Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones that affect the metabolism of glucose. A person with Cushing's syndrome has a chronic elevation of glucose in the blood that...
Your adrenal glands are located above your kidneys. When they are damaged and don't produce enough cortisol and aldosterone, you may have a primary adrenal insufficiency disease called Addison's disease. Secondary adrenal insufficiency happens...
High cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. An accurate cholesterol test is important for identifying risk level. Eating or drinking before the blood...
Corticosteroid hormones are normally secreted by the adrenal glands and play an important role in regulating our body's metabolism. Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, is the primary glucocorticoid hormone. Corticosteroids are commonly used...
Cushing's disease is caused by an adenoma, which is a benign tumor, on the pituitary gland. An excessive secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is caused by the pituitary tumor. ACTH signals the adrenal gland to produce high amounts of...
Cushing's disease occurs in 10 to 15 people per million, according to the University of California at Los Angeles. Cushing's disease occurs when the pituitary gland, a pea-sized endocrine gland responsible for hormone production, produces too much...
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is the most abundant hormone in the blood of younger men. First discovered in 1934, DHEA is a steroid hormone produced in lesser amounts by women and more mature men. One important aspect of DHEA is it is a hormone...
Less than five percent of all of the tumors that originate in the lungs are benign, according to John Minna, M.D., Professor of Internal Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in “Harrison’s...
Vitamin B-6 has been rumored to remedy everything from menstrual cramps to hangovers. Some claims have been made that this tart-flavored vitamin may also lower cortisol levels. Researchers have been studying the impact of vitamin B-6 on the...
Cortisol, also known as "the stress hormone," is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, usually released in times of stress. Cortisol helps regulate many bodily functions and processes, including regulating blood pressure, cardiovascular...
Addison's disease, also known as chronic adrenal insufficiency, is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones. These hormones include cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone and some steroids. Aldosterone, cortisol and...
The pituitary gland is a pea-sized endocrine gland located in the brain. It releases a number of hormones that are needed for many functions that go on in the body. Pituitary hormones are essential for growth, development, reproduction and proper...
