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 cause hormonal imbalances that can have affects on the rest of the body.
Adrenal Glands
The adrenal glands are located just above the kidneys, the Merck Manual explains, and produce multiple hormones. The two adrenal hormones most commonly associated with hormonal imbalance are cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol regulates the body's response to stress and is produced in response to a hormone known as adrenocorticotropin hormone, which is produced by the pituitary gland. Aldosterone, on the other hand, regulates salt and water balance in the body and is regulated by the kidneys via the production of a hormone known as renin.
Cortisol Imbalance
Too much or too little cortisol can have a dramatic effect on the body. Too much cortisol can result in a disorder known as Cushing's syndrome, which is marked by the face becoming round and full and by a hump of fat appearing on the patient's back, Urology Health explains. Patients with Cushing's also commonly experience obesity, high blood pressure, excessive body hair, diabetes and muscle weakness. Too little cortisol, on the other hand, can lead to Addison's disease. Symptoms of Addison's disease include weight loss, dehydration, weakness, fatigue, nausea, hyperpigmented skin patches and cold intolerance. Addison's disease can be exacerbated by illness or stress and can lead to serious complications, such as low blood pressure and kidney failure, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes.
Aldosterone Disorders
The main kind of hormone imbalance that relates to aldosterone is known as hyperaldosteronism. Elevated levels of aldosterone can cause the body to excrete excess potassium, the Merck Manual notes. Because potassium is necessary for the function of the nervous system, loss of potassium can cause muscle spasms, tingling and temporary paralysis of parts of the body. It can also result in a consistent feeling of thirst.
Diagnosis
Hormonal imbalances relating to the adrenal glands are typically diagnosed using blood or urine tests. Patients who are suspected of having unusually high aldosterone levels will have their aldosterone and renin levels checked, Lab Tests Online notes. The levels of sodium and potassium may also be checked due to the effects of aldosterone on the levels of these electrolytes. Patients who are exhibiting signs of either too much or too little cortisol can have their levels checked as well. One way to get an accurate cortisol measurement is to measure it from a 24-hour urine sample. This can be necessary because cortisol levels typically rise and fall throughout the day; measuring the amount of cortisol excreted in the urine over the course of 24 hours can help provide an adequate indicator of cortisol levels in the body.
Treatment
Because Addison's disease is a result of too little cortisol, it is commonly treated with the daily use of synthetic cortisol, which can be taken orally. In the case of patients who have too much cortisol or aldosterone, a diagnosis of the underlying cause is often necessary. Cushing's can be caused by a pituitary tumor resulting in elevated production of adrenocorticotropin hormone; alternately, Cushing's can be caused by a cortisol-secreting tumor.
In both cases, the tumor should be removed. Similarly, hyperaldosteronism is often caused by hormone-secreting tumor. If possible, treatment for these disorders involves the removal of the tumor. If this does not fix the problem, one or both of the adrenal glands may need to be removed. If this occurs, the patient will need to take synthetic adrenal hormones to replace the ones no longer being produced.
