Hormones are produced by endocrine glands, which don't have any ducts. The adrenal glands are endocrine glands that are triangular in shape and located above the kidneys. These glands are divided into an inner and outer part. The inner part is the adrenal medulla, while the outer part is the adrenal cortex. These areas produce hormones that affect the body in different ways. Diseases associated with the adrenal glands are related to an imbalance in any of these hormones.
Hormones Made by the Adrenal Glands
The adrenal cortex makes corticosteroid hormones such as cortisol; aldosterone which is a mineralocorticoid hormone; and a class of hormones called androgens. Catecholamines are manufactured in the adrenal medulla. Epinephrine nor-epinephrine and dopamine are catecholamines.
Hormone Functions
Cortisol is an important hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the blood and the blood pressure. This hormone also helps the body when its under stress, such as during periods of illness. Aldosterone determines the amount of potassium that the body secretes and the quantity of sodium that is reabsorbed into the body. Androgens such as testosterone are responsible for sexual development in males. Catecholamines help the body prepare for physical activity or action.
High Hormone Levels
Cushing's syndrome, hyperaldosteronism and virilization are diseases that happen when the adrenal glands produce excessive amounts of cortisol, aldosterone and androgens. Catecholamine-producing tumors in the adrenal medulla called phechromocytoma increase the level of catecholamines in the body. In Cushing's syndrome, cortisol levels are high and symptoms such as high blood pressure are common.
Hyperladosteronism is a hormonal disease in which the body is exposed to high aldosterone levels, causing an increase in blood volume and blood pressure. Patients who suffer from virilization have high androgen levels that lead to exaggerated masculine features in both males and females. Pheochromocytoma, on the other hand, causes an increase in heart rate, excessive sweating and rapid breathing. The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library explains that high blood pressure is the most significant sign of pheochromocytoma.
Low Hormone Levels
Adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal glands make low amounts of adrenal hormones. When this condition occurs due to problems with the adrenal glands, it is called Addison's disease. Problems with the pituitary gland in the brain can also cause adrenal insufficiency. In this case, the condition is called secondary adrenal insufficiency. Some symptoms of this condition include tiredness that keeps getting worse, muscle aches and excessive skin pigmentation, which is seen as dark patches of skin.
Causes
The pituitary gland produces a hormone called corticotropin. This hormone stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. A high level of corticotropin causes a form of Cushing's syndrome called Cushing's disease. Low levels result in secondary adrenal insufficiency. When the adrenal glands are attacked by the body's immune system--which happens in an autoimmune disease--they become under active. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, up to 80 percent of Addison's disease cases are caused by autoimmune disease.
Enlarged adrenal glands and tumors in the adrenal glands can make the adrenal glands overactive and lead to diseases associated with high levels of adrenal hormones.
