Potassium is a charged mineral that is very important for proper electrical conduction in the body. As such, it is particularly important for nerve and muscle cells. Its levels are very tightly regulated in the body. One source of regulation is...
Hormones are a diverse group of molecules that regulate several functions in your body. Hormones can be divided into those that act outside target cells and those that enter the target cell. Vitamin D and aldosterone are hormones that belong to...
Aldosterone is a steroid hormone released by the adrenal gland. It is responsible for increasing the absorption of water and sodium in the kidneys, which scientists have determined also increases blood volume and blood pressure. Preliminary...
Aldosterone is a hormone that the adrenal glands produce to control levels of sodium and potassium in the blood. Primary aldosteronism is the most common cause of high aldosterone levels in the blood stream and is most commonly caused by a...
Your body uses a complex hormonal communication system known as the endocrine system. Your endocrine system relays communication about your hormone levels so they are kept balanced. Your adrenal glands -- two triangular glands that sit atop your...
Aldosterone is the hormone that regulates the levels of water and electrolytes in your cells and bloodstream. Produced by the adrenal glands, it acts in unison with the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland to keep your body chemistry balanced and...
Sodium is an essential mineral found inside all of your cells and in the fluids bathing your cells and tissues. While a little sodium is necessary for good health, excessive dietary intake of sodium, mainly as salt, is associated with high blood...
Aldosteronism is a medical condition characterized by an abnormally elevated level of the adrenal gland hormone aldosterone. The hormone stimulates kidney retention of sodium and water, commonly leading to high blood pressure, or hypertension....
Aldosteronism is the condition in which the adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone targets the collecting ducts in the kidneys and increases sodium and water reabsorption and the secretion of potassium. Renin, an...
Hyperaldosteronism results when one's adrenal glands create elevated levels of the hormone aldosterone. Causes of hyperaldosteronism include a benign tumor in an adrenal gland (Conn's syndrome) or enlarged adrenal glands. Elevated levels of...
The adrenals are a pair of triangular-shaped glands that sit atop the kidneys. They are in charge of secreting hormones that modulate the body's stress response and fluid and electrolyte balance. One of those hormones is aldosterone....
It is important to consult with a physician for the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. Problems such as low blood potassium and hypertension, or high blood pressure, if they have a single underlying cause, may be from Conn's syndrome....
Sodium and potassium are important electrolytes involved in many of the body's functions. Sodium is important for fluid balance, while potassium is important for muscle contraction and the heart's rhythm. Several conditions can cause both high...
The adrenals are a pair of triangular glands that sit atop each kidney. Each adrenal has two main tissues: the medulla and the cortex. The medulla secretes two hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine, which stimulate the body's response to...
An imbalance in aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, can cause high serum--or bloodstream--levels of potassium. The kidneys work with aldosterone to regulate the amount of potassium in the body. When hyperkalemia--a term used to...
Too much sodium is associated with adverse health effects such as high blood pressure. However, the right amount of sodium is crucial to your health. Sodium is the primary mineral in your extra-cellular fluid, which is the fluid outside of your...
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,...
The adrenal glands are small, paired endocrine organs located on the upper end of each kidney. The principal hormones produced by the adrenals include adrenalin, aldosterone and cortisol. Male sex hormones, or androgens, are also produced in small...
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...
Regulation of sodium in your body requires tight controls of the amounts of fluid in your body. Your body has a number of "sensors" that detect your overall sodium level, many of which are in the kidneys. When your sodium levels are too high,...
The paired adrenal glands, located atop the kidneys, secrete hormones that influence blood pressure, including aldosterone and epinephrine. Noncancerous and cancerous adrenal gland tumors that produce excess aldosterone or epinephrine typically...
According to Tobias Else, M.D., of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan in "Pathophysiology of Disease," congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a fairly common disorder. One out of every 5,000 to 15,000 children is born...
The adrenal glands are important for hormone production. Like all hormone-producing organs, the adrenal glands are carefully regulated by chemical signals produced by the pituitary and kidneys. As a result, any perturbation to this system can...
The adrenals are a pair of glands that sit on top of each kidney. They secrete steroid hormones that regulate inflammation, and mineralocorticoids, which are hormones that control fluid balance and salts. Salts are composed of electrolytes, the...
There is one adrenal gland on top of each kidney, which is why the gland is also referred to as the suprarenal gland. The inner area of the gland is the adrenal medulla, which makes epinephrine and norepinephrine. The outer area is called the...
Sodium is used by the cells to regulate the amount of water they take in or expel. Sodium is also important for the communication between neurons and the function of muscles. Most of the body's sodium is found outside the cell. The concentration...
The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system and are located right above each of the kidneys. The adrenal glands produce the hormones cortisol and aldosterone, which have several important functions in the body. Adrenal insufficiency is a...
Hormones are an important part of the body because they affect several aspects of the body's function such as growth, development, blood pressure, fluid balance and immunity. Endocrine glands like the thyroid gland, pituitary gland, pancreas and...
The adrenal glands are small hormone-producing structures that sit on top of the kidneys. These glands secrete several hormones, including aldosterone, cortisol and adrenalin, all of which affect blood pressure. An excessive level of any of these...
Limiting potassium in your diet can help patients with Addison's disease. Learn how to adjust your diet to fit your specific health and nutrition needs in this healthy shopping video.