What is the function of endocrine glands?
Endocrine glands are organs that are specialized in regulating various functions of your body. These functions include growth and development, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction and mood.
Normally, your body has eight major endocrine glands, each serving a different set of functions. Most of the time, these endocrine glands work in coordination with each other and their processes are interdependent. Hormones secreted by an endocrine gland influence the functioning of the various organs and other endocrine glands in the body. Endocrine disorders occur when an organ or a gland fails to respond to the hormones secreted by another endocrine gland or when the body does not react to the hormones in the way it should.
What are the symptoms of endocrine disorders?
Each endocrine disorder has its own set of signs and symptoms. These signs and symptoms depend upon what type of hormone the endocrine gland secretes and the body functions that the hormone regulates. However, fatigue and weakness are common symptoms found in many endocrine disorders. Other symptoms may include weight changes, blood glucose level fluctuations, abnormal cholesterol levels, mood changes, etc.
What are some common endocrine disorders?
If your hormone levels are too high or too low, you may have an endocrine disorder, commonly known as a hormone disorder.
Diabetes is the most common disorder in the United States. It happens either when the body cells become less sensitive to the insulin hormone or insulin is secreted in less quantity by your pancreas. This causes your blood sugar levels to increase. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels affect multiple organs over the course of time.
Other common endocrine disorders are as follows
- Hyperthyroidism: Your thyroid gland becomes overactive and secretes more hormone (T3 and/or T4). This causes rapid weight loss, heart problems, anxiety and many other symptoms.
- Hypothyroidism: This is commonly referred to as an underactive thyroid in which your thyroid gland produces less hormones. This leads to complaints such as unintentional weight gain, constipation, dry skin, fatigue and so on. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are usually high in hypothyroidism.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome: The principle function of your ovaries, which is ovulation (releasing eggs for conception), is disturbed. This leads to a myriad of problems such as missed periods, abnormal growth of hair in areas such as upper lips and infertility among many others.
- Acromegaly: The pituitary gland makes an excess of growth hormones, which makes your bones grow bigger and makes your hands and feet look huge compared to the rest of your body.
- Adrenal insufficiency: Your adrenal glands secrete low amounts of the hormone known as cortisol, making you unable to deal with stress. You may start experiencing fatigue, weakness and weight loss gradually over time.
- Cushing's disease: The adrenal glands secrete excess cortisol and make your face puffy and round resembling the moon (moon face).
- Hypopituitarism: Your pituitary gland fails to produce one or more of its hormones or makes less of them. This disturbs the functioning of your adrenal and thyroid glands along with organs such as the ovaries and testes.
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN): This is a group of disorders that tends to run in families. It causes tumors in several endocrine glands.
- Precocious puberty: When glands that control reproduction don’t work properly, some children start puberty abnormally early, around eight in girls and nine in boys.
QUESTION
What percentage of the human body is water? See AnswerWhat causes endocrine disorders?
Endocrine disorders are usually diagnosed after matching your signs and symptoms with your blood tests that include hormone levels. There may be either an increase or a decrease in the hormones with an endocrine disorder.
The endocrine system works on the principle of a feedback system known as the endocrine feedback system. This feedback system involves balancing the levels of various hormones by decreasing or increasing the levels of certain hormones. The cause of endocrine disorders is usually a disturbance in this feedback system.
Other causes of endocrine disorders include the following
- A genetic disorder (multiple endocrine neoplasia [MEN] or congenital hypothyroidism)
- Idiopathic (cause unknown)
- Infections
- Poor lifestyle habits
- Injury to the endocrine gland
- Tumor of the endocrine gland
- Major stress
- Changes in the blood’s fluids
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Pregnancy can trigger some endocrine disorders (thyroid and diabetes)
Medline
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
Hormone Health Network
Top What Are Some Common Endocrine Disorders Related Articles
Alkindi Sprinkle (hydrocortisone)
Alkindi Sprinkle (hydrocortisone) is a synthetic version of cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands that helps govern stress response and other functions. Alkindi Sprinkle is for people 17 and under with adrenal insufficiency.
Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is an excess of thyroid hormone due to an overactive thyroid gland. Symptoms can include increased heart rate, weight loss, heart palpitations, frequent bowel movements, depression, fatigue, fine or brittle hair, sleep problems, thinning skin, and irregular vaginal bleeding.
Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Many other health problems or taking excess thyroid hormone medication can cause an overactive thyroid gland. Treatment for the condition is with medication, radioactive iodine, thyroid surgery (rarely), or reducing the dose of thyroid hormone. No diet has been shown to treat hyperthyroidism or its symptoms and signs.
Hyperthyroidism: Symptoms, Treatment, Medication
What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism? What causes hyperthyroidism? What happens when you take thyroid medication? Hyperthyroidism occurs when an overactive thyroid gland produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormone. Learn hyperthyroidism causes, symptoms, and treatment.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is any state in which thyroid hormone production is below normal. Normally, the rate of thyroid hormone production is controlled by the brain by the pituitary gland. Hypothyroidism is a very common condition and the symptoms of hypothyroidism are often subtle but may include constipation, memory loss, hair loss, and depression. There are a variety of causes of hypothyroidism, and treatment depends on the cause.
Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy
Hypothyroidism during pregnancy can be treated with synthetic thyroid hormones to maintain the proper thyroid hormone balance. Hypothyroidism symptoms and signs include fatigue, weight gain, lethargy, and constipation. Check out the center below for more medical references on pregnancy and hypothyroidism, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
What Are Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Symptoms?
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), also known by the name Stein-Leventhal syndrome, is a hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms including irregular or no menstrual periods, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth. Treatment of PCOS depends partially on the woman's stage of life and the symptoms of PCOS.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Picture
Polcystic ovary syndrome is a condition in women characterized by irregular or no menstrual periods, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth. See a Illustration of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and learn more about the health topic.
What Causes Hypothyroidism?
Hypothyroidism results when the thyroid gland fails to produce enough hormones. Hypothyroidism may be due to a number of factors.What Happens If Hypothyroidism Is Left Untreated?
If hypothyroidism is not treated, it can lead to various complications.