The endocrine system is a system that consists of a group of glands responsible for secreting hormones that have a major role in the processes of growth, reproduction, and metabolic processes. These hormones contribute to the process of breathing and regulating the functions of the muscular system.
Here is a group of endocrine glands found in the body
1- Hypothalamus
It is a gland located in the lower part of the brain. It plays the main role in maintaining homeostasis in the body, regulating metabolism, temperature and the work of the pituitary gland.
It also contributes to controlling appetite and satiety and balancing the physiological cycle in the body.
2- Pituitary gland
Located at the base of the brain as small as a pea, the pituitary gland is considered the most important endocrine gland because it is responsible for regulating the work of the rest of the glands in the body.
The pituitary gland is divided into two parts
anterior pituitary gland
It is responsible for the secretion of the following hormones
Growth hormone.
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).
Adrenal gland stimulating hormone (ACTH).
Luteinizing hormone, which is responsible for stimulating sperm production in males and ovulation in females.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) combines its action with luteinizing hormone to regulate the work of the reproductive organs.
Prolactin hormone.
2. Posterior pituitary
They are the glands responsible for storing the antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin, which is responsible for the contraction of the uterine muscles during the birth process.
3- Thyroid gland
Located in the neck area, it secretes thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which are responsible for the body''s metabolic processes and control the speed of cell work.
Contributes to the complete development of bones, brain and nervous system in children. It also works to maintain blood pressure, heart rate and temperature at normal levels.
4- Parathyroid glands
Four small glands located on the surface of the thyroid gland, contribute to regulating the level of calcium between the blood and bones.
5- Adrenal glands
In the human body there are two adrenal glands, each of which is located above the kidney. The adrenal gland secretes the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for metabolic processes, balancing the proportion of salts in the blood and regulating the work of the immune and reproductive systems as well.
Cortisol also contributes to the regulation of blood sugar and the distribution and use of carbohydrates and fats in the body.
6- Pineal gland
Located in the center of the brain, it secretes the hormone melatonin that regulates the body''s biological clock (regulating sleep and wakefulness).
7- Reproductive glands
In males, the gonads are represented by the testes, which secrete testosterone, and in females by the ovaries, which are located on both sides of the uterus, so that they secrete female hormones, the most important of which is estrogen.
8- Pancreas
The pancreas is located in the abdominal cavity behind the stomach, there is a part of it that contributes to the process of digesting food from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. This part is considered to be an exocrine gland.
The other part is from the endocrine glands formed by the so-called Langerhans island, which secrete insulin and glucagon, which are responsible for regulating the level of sugar in the blood.
endocrine diseases
The presence of any defect in the endocrine system, with an increase or decrease in the level of hormones in the body, leads to many problems and diseases, the most prominent of which are:
Diabetes
Diabetes occurs as a result of a defect in the secretion of the hormone insulin, which decreases its proportion in the blood, or the cells resist responding to it, which leads to an increase in the level of sugar in the blood.
Diabetes is divided into two main parts, type 1 and type 2, and they share clear symptoms, including:
Frequent urination, especially at night when sleeping.
Feeling very thirsty.
Constant feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
Losing weight without dieting
Blurred vision.
slow wound healing
Cushing syndrome
It occurs as a result of high cortisol levels for long periods, due to internal factors in the body such as tumors, for example, or due to external factors such as taking cortisone pills.
Symptoms of the syndrome
Weight gain and fat accumulation, especially in the face, so it becomes full (Moon face) and between the shoulders, so it becomes like a plateau (Buffalo hump).
The appearance of wide pink lines on the skin (Stretch marks).
Bleeding easily.
muscle weakness
the appearance of acne
Hirsutism and irregular menstruation in women.
Erectile dysfunction in men.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism occurs due to the production of greater amounts of the hormone thyroxine, which increases the normal level of metabolic processes, causing many annoying symptoms, including:
Nervousness and tension.
mood swings
Fatigue and tiredness.
Excessive feeling of heat even in cold weather.
Sensation of an enlarged thyroid gland.
Unexplained weight loss.
Increased heart rate.
tremor in the extremities
sleep problems
Irregular menstruation.
The causes of hyperactivity are either due to Grave''s disease, an autoimmune disease, or inflammation of the gland (Thyroiditis) or the presence of tumors in it.
4. Hypothyroidism
It is that the thyroid gland produces less than normal levels of the hormone thyroxine, which leads to a slower metabolism. Symptoms of lazy thyroid gland include:
Irregular menstruation.
holding.
Depression.
Hair loss and dryness.
skin dryness.
Fatigue and tiredness.
Increased feeling of cold.
slow heartbeat
Goiter.
Unexplained weight gain
In most cases, it is caused by an immune disease in which the body attacks the cells of the thyroid gland. There is no treatment other than taking thyroxine pills.
