Acromegaly is a rare but serious condition caused by too much growth
hormone (GH) in the blood. GH is released into the bloodstream by the
pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. The blood carries GH
to other parts of the body where it has specific effects. In children,
GH stimulates growth and development. In adults, GH
affects energy levels, muscle strength, bone health, and a sense of well-being.
Too much GH in children is called gigantism and is extremely rare.
Acromegaly in adults occurs mainly in middle-aged men and women. Each
year, about three new cases of acromegaly occur for every million
people.
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Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=471&Itemid=191
Congenital (con-JEN-ih-tuhl) adrenal (uh-DREEN-uhl) hyperplasia
(HY-per-PLAYzhee-uh), also called CAH, is a group of genetic disorders
in which the two adrenal glands do not work properly. Children inherit
one gene that causes this disorder from each of their parents. The
adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney, make hormones that are
essential for body functions.
People with CAH lack one of the enzymes needed for proper function of
the adrenal glands. (An enzyme is a protein that causes a chemical
change in the body.) Without the enzyme, the adrenal glands may produce
too little of the hormones cortisol and/or aldosterone and too much
androgen. CAH can be severe (classic) or mild (nonclassic).
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Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=472&Itemid=192
Cushing’s syndrome consists of the physical and mental changes that
result from having too much cortisol in the blood for a long period of
time. Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands,
located above the kidneys. In normal amounts, cortisol helps the body:
• respond to stress
• maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function
• keep the immune system in check
• convert fat, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy
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Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=474&Itemid=193
The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and found just below the
base of the brain, behind the nose. It is made up of many different
kinds of cells, each of which produces a specific hormone. In turn, each
hormone sends signals to other glands or organs in the body to do a
particular job.
Because the pituitary affects so many functions of the body it is called the master gland.
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Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=475&Itemid=194
Bariatric surgery helps people who are very obese to lose a lot of
weight. It limits how much food your stomach can hold, making you feel
full after just a small meal (called restriction), and sometimes also
limits the calories and nutrients your body can absorb (called
malabsorption). People have this type of surgery if other methods of weight loss have not worked for them and/or if they have serious health problems caused by obesity.
Bariatric surgery has both benefits and risks for your endocrine
system—the network of glands that produce, store, and release hormones.
Hormones play a part in your body’s energy balance, reproductive system,
growth and development, and reactions to stress and injury. Different
types of bariatric surgery vary in the kind and degree of risks and
benefits.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=478&Itemid=196
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a main cause of heart and
blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease. Hypertension greatly raises your
risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney failure, which may lead to
death. Since people with hypertension often have no symptoms, it has
been called “the silent killer.”
As blood flows through the body, it pushes against the walls of
the arteries. The force of this push in the arteries is the blood
pressure. The measurement of blood pressure includes two readings. An
example is 120/80 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury). The first number is
the systolic pressure as the heart contracts; the second number is the
diastolic pressure when the heart relaxes between beats.
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Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=479&Itemid=197
Obesity is a chronic medical condition characterized by too much body
fat. Obesity is diagnosed by a number called the Body Mass Index (BMI).
Your BMI is calculated from your current height and weight. In general,
the higher the BMI, the more body fat a person has. Some bodybuilders
and elite athletes have high BMIs, but they have more muscle mass than
the average person and are not considered obese.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=480&Itemid=198
The term cardiometabolic risk describes a person’s chances of damaging
their heart and blood vessels when one or more risk factors are present.
Risk factors include obesity, high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, high blood
fat (triglycerides), low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, high blood pressure,
and insulin resistance. Each of these risk factors is dangerous on its
own, but a combination greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Metabolic syndrome, syndrome X, cardiometabolic syndrome, and insulin
resistance syndrome are other terms for this cluster of risk factors.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=481&Itemid=199
Hyperlipidemia means there are high levels of fats (or lipids) in the
blood. These fats include cholesterol and triglycerides, which are
important for our bodies to function. But when they are too high, these
fats can put people at risk for heart disease and stroke.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=482&Itemid=200
The term metabolic syndrome describes a cluster of risk factors that
increase the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
(high blood sugar). The exact cause of the metabolic syndrome is not
known but genetic factors, too much body fat (especially in the waist
area, the most dangerous type of fat), and lack of exercise add to the
development of the condition.
You are diagnosed with the metabolic syndrome if you have three or more risk factors (see table below).
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=483&Itemid=201
Hypoglycemia is the term for low blood sugar (or blood glucose).
Glucose is the “fuel” that your brain and body need to function
properly.
It’s important to maintain levels of blood sugar that
are healthy: not too high and not too low. If hypoglycemia is not
corrected right away, it can quickly worsen. You may become very
confused and unable to manage your condition. In severe cases, you may even lose consciousness, have a seizure, or go into a coma.
Hypoglycemia can happen if you do not eat when you need to or as much
as you need, or if you skip a meal, drink too much alcohol, exercise
more than usual, or if you have diabetes.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=485&Itemid=203
Diabetes is a disease in which levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood
are higher than normal. Glucose is produced by the body from the foods
that you eat. Insulin, which is a hormone produced by the pancreas (an
organ located in your abdomen), takes the glucose from the bloodstream
and carries it into your cells where it is used for energy. Diabetes
occurs when glucose does not enter the cells and instead, builds up in the
bloodstream.
When glucose levels are too high, they can cause damage to the blood
vessels, nerves and other organs in the body and can also shorten your
life.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=486&Itemid=204
Diabetes is a disease in which levels of glucose (sugar) in the
bloodstream are higher than normal. Glucose is produced by the body from
the foods you eat. The hormone insulin takes glucose from the
bloodstream and carries it into your cells where it is used for energy.
Insulin is produced by the pancreas, an organ located in your abdomen.
Diabetes occurs when
the pancreas does not produce insulin (called type 1, or
insulin-dependent, diabetes) or when the body becomes resistant to the
effects of insulin (called type 2, or non-insulin-dependent, diabetes).
In either case, the result is that glucose does not enter the cells and
builds up in the bloodstream.
Keeping blood sugar levels close
to normal is key to preventing a number of serious complications from
diabetes including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and
nerve damage.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=487&Itemid=205
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher
than normal. Glucose is produced in the body from the foods that you
eat. The pancreas, an organ located in the abdomen just behind the
stomach, produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone that takes glucose from
the bloodstream and carries it inside your body’s cells where it is used
for energy.
Diabetes occurs
when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body
becomes resistant to the effects of insulin. Sometimes it is a
combination of both problems. In either case, the result is that glucose
does not enter the cells and builds up in the blood.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=488&Itemid=206
Diabetes is a disease characterized by higher than normal levels of
glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. Glucose is produced by the body from
the foods you eat, mainly carbohydrates. So your food choices have an
impact on your glucose levels.
The major nutrients in food are protein, fat, and carbohydrates. You need all of these nutrients in your diet. Among the
many different sources of these nutrients, some are better for you than
others. For example, lean white meat (such as chicken breast with no
skin) is a healthier source of protein than fatty red meat (such as
hamburger). Liquid vegetable oils (such as olive and canola) are more
heart-healthy than solid fats (such as margarine and butter). There are
also differences among carbohydrates, and these differences are
important in diabetes control.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=489&Itemid=207
Cholesterol and triglycerides, known as lipids, are fatty substances
normally produced by the body. Dyslipidemia means lipid levels in the
bloodstream are too high or low. The most common types of dyslipidemia
are:
• High levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol
• Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or “good”) cholesterol
• High levels of triglycerides
Dyslipidemia contributes to atherosclerosis, a disease in which fatty
deposits called plaque build up in the arteries over time. The arteries
are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the
body. If plaque narrows your arteries, you are more likely to suffer
from heart disease, heart attack, peripheral artery disease (reduced
blood flow in the limbs, usually the legs), and stroke.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=490&Itemid=208
The kidneys are two fist-sized organs located in your back. To maintain
life, you need at least one to work well. The work done by the kidneys
is called renal function. There are three major renal functions:
• Remove waste and excess water from your body
• Maintain the body’s chemical balance
• Produce hormones that regulate red blood cell production and blood pressure, and contribute to bone health
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=491&Itemid=209
Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which levels of glucose (sugar) in
the bloodstream are higher than normal. Glucose is produced in the body
from the foods you eat. The pancreas, an organ located just behind the
stomach, produces insulin. Insulin is a hormone that takes the glucose
from the bloodstream and carries it inside your body’s cells where it is
used for energy. Diabetes occurs when sugar builds up in the blood.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes that can
develop during pregnancy, usually in the second trimester. During
pregnancy the placenta produces hormones that help the baby develop.
These hormones also block the effects of insulin in the woman’s body,
increasing her blood sugar levels.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=492&Itemid=210
Monogenic diabetes is a rare condition resulting from mutations
(changes) in a single gene. In contrast, the most common types of
diabetes—type 1 and type 2—are caused by multiple genes (and in type 2
diabetes, lifestyle factors such as obesity). Most cases of monogenic
diabetes are inherited.
Monogenic diabetes appears in several forms and most often affects young people. In most
forms of the disease, the body is less able to make insulin, a hormone
that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy. Rarely, the problem
is severe insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use
insulin properly.
Many people with monogenic diabetes are
mistakenly diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and may not receive
the best treatment. For example, some children with monogenic diabetes
are misdiagnosed with type 1 diabetes and are given insulin. When
correctly diagnosed, some of these children can take diabetes pills
instead, with even better glucose control. A correct diagnosis may also
benefit family members,who might have monogenic diabetes themselves
without knowing it. An accurate diagnosis can lead to proper treatment
and better health in the long term.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=493&Itemid=211
Glucose (also known as blood sugar) is produced by the body from the
foods you eat. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, takes
glucose from the bloodstream and carries it to your cells where it is
used for energy. This process controls the amount of sugar in your
blood, keeping it from getting too low or too high.
Prediabetes is a condition in which your body becomes resistant
to the effect of insulin, and the pancreas does not produce enough
insulin to overcome the resistance. This causes the level of blood sugar
to become higher than normal. Over time, having too much sugar in your
blood puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, and for developing
type 2 diabetes.
Read more
Resource:
The Hormone Foundation
http://www.lysetteiglesiasmd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=494&Itemid=212
