Caffeine is a mild stimulant found in many supplements, foods and medications. While caffeine’s effects are regulated by the brain, it also affects many other organ systems throughout the body. Learning about caffeine’s basic...
The cardiovascular system is the body’s mechanism for getting oxygen and nutrients to the cells and transporting carbon dioxide and waste molecules away from those cells. While the system is relatively simple from a mechanical perspective,...
At first glance, the cardiovascular system appears to consist of only a single organ--the heart. This organ is certain a key player in the system; it’s responsible for pumping blood rich in nutrients and oxygen to the body cells, and its...
The male and female reproductive organs have evolved over millions of years to propagate the species. Both male and female organs arose from common embryonic origins. In the presence of active male-determining genes on the Y-chromosome, the...
The organs in the human digestive system begin with the mouth and end at the anus. Each organ has a specific duty in the process of changing food and drink into usable nutrients for the body. Different enzymes work in conjunction with the...
Males and females each have separate organs that, when combined, create a pregnancy. The reproductive system is complex and differs greatly between the sexes. Females have reproductive organs contained on the inside of the pelvis. Most of the male...
The muscles of the body enable individuals to stand upright, walk and pick up heavy objects. Those very same muscles enable the heart to beat, the lungs to breathe and internal organs to function. A variety of organs as well as muscle tissues are...
There are a many physiological processes that occur to keep the internal pressure under control, and various muscles are essential in this process of maintaining the internal pressure of your body. If these muscles do not function properly, the...
The organ systems of the human body work together to create homeostasis, a state of functional health adequate to sustain life. The human organs within these systems work together to perform a specific function. For instance, inhalation requires...
For thousands of years, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have used an understanding of nature to address human illness by treating its root causes, rather than its external symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine looks at the whole...
Opioids are a class of drugs with analgesic properties, along with powerful addictive and physiological properties. They are prescribed for short-term pain management. Commonly prescribed opioids are codeine; hydrocodone, also called Vicodin;...
Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, indicates how many calories your body needs to function at rest for cell growth and repair, breathing, and the operation of organ systems. BMR is dependent upon gender, height, weight and age, and accounts for...
Homeostasis is a fundamental property of living things. Homeostasis is the ability of an organism to maintain a relatively "steady state" of internal conditions optimal for survival, such as temperature or rate of metabolism. The organism's heart...
Fertilization is the first step in creating a new human being. During fertilization, a sperm swims through the uterus and into the fallopian tubes, where it meets with an egg. The two combine to form a zygote, a cell that contains the 46...
Trauma is the fifth leading cause of death for all ages combined in the United States as well as the leading cause of death for those ages 1 to 44 years, according to MedicineNet.com. Although not all trauma results in death, trauma still places a...
Scleroderma, caused by immune system dysfunction, is a chronic disease in which the connective tissue hardens. Connective tissue is responsible for supporting and strengthening the organs and is found throughout the body. Problems with the...
The terminal, or last stage, of cancer is also referred to as stage four. This criteria suggests that the cancer is no longer a local tumor, and that cancer cells have spread, or metastasized, to other areas in the body. The National Cancer...
Prenatal vitamins are daily supplement pills formulated for pregnant women. They don't contain calories, so they can't foster cellular growth, but they're important to cellular health and well being. While they don't help your embryo grow fast,...
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation in various organ systems in the body. There is no cure for lupus, but treatments are available that can help relieve symptoms of the condition. Maintaining a healthy diet and overall...
Fetal development begins before a pregnancy may even be noticed, and the fetus undergoes rapid development in the 40 weeks of gestation spent in the mother's uterus. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the three main stages of...
According to the International Academy of Medical Reflexology, reflexology is complementary, biological, integrative health science that focuses on applying pressure and massage to parts of the foot and ankle. This practice involves stimulation...
"Lipid" is a biochemical word meaning "fat." In the course of your normal cellular function, your body breaks down fats regularly. This occurs both in the digestive tract and at the cellular level. Chemicals called enzymes help your digestive...
Caffeine is a common stimulant found in many medications, foods and supplements. While most people can consume small amounts of caffeine without issue, caffeine-sensitive individuals may experience side effects with any amount. Understanding...
The thyroid gland plays an important role in regulating the rate at which the body uses energy. It achieves this by producing three hormones, calcitonin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These hormones influence all of the body’s organ...
Diabetes is a disease that impacts many organ systems in the body because of elevated blood sugar levels. Diabetes causes the amount of sugar, called glucose, in the bloodstream to remain above normal, according to the National Diabetes...
Gluten is a protein found in the grains of several grass crops, including wheat, rye, barley and their relatives. It is widely used in the food industry as a thickener, stabilizer and filler. Gluten is only partially digested in your intestine,...
Given that the human body is divided by scientists and medical professionals into discreet organ systems, each of which performs a unique set of functions, it's tempting to think of these organ systems as independent of one another. In reality,...
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects most of the organ systems of the body. Those with Type 1 diabetes and some with Type 2 diabetes must take insulin to manage the disease. An insulin pump, or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, is a...
After seeing a positive test result, your mind begins racing with questions of what is safe to eat or how many extra calories are needed to support the growth of your baby. Perhaps eating potato chips, pickles, and ice cream are appealing, or...
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