When Hormones Don’t Function Correctly
Because hormones control almost every function of the human body, any problem that arises in their production and distribution has severe to dire consequences. The following are a list of a few problems that occur because of issues with the endocrine system, particularly the pituitary gland.
Diseases of the endocrine system are primarily related to the overproduction of hormones, the underproduction of hormones, or tumors on the glands.
What is the most common endocrine disorder?
Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disorder. Nearly 30 million people have some form of the disease.
Gigantism and Acromegaly
Both of these conditions arise from an overactive pituitary gland, or hyperpituitarism. This increase in hormone production, especially hormones involved in growth, leads to exaggerated features of the human body that may result in overall larger proportions (gigantism) or isolated enlarged body parts (acromegaly).
If the pituitary gland is active because of a congenital or developmental irregularity causing it to overproduce growth hormone throughout the lifetime of an individual, that person displays the characteristics of gigantism. However, if the pituitary becomes hyperactive after puberty, especially when the growth plates of the long bones have ossified (become bone), only those body parts capable of further growth show the increases in size. In this stage of life, the disease is termed acromegaly and displays overgrowth of body parts including the hands, feet, lower jaw, and the brow ridge of the forehead.
Graves’ Disease
Just as an overactive pituitary can cause the condition of gigantism, an overactive thyroid gland causes Graves’ disease. This autoimmune disease leads to the doubling in size of the thyroid (goiter), hyperthyroidism, and an increase in all of the physiological activities controlled by thyroid hormones. Individuals with Graves’ disease suffer from hypertension (stemming from increased heart rate), insomnia, weight loss (due to increased metabolism), and extreme fatigue and muscle weakness. However, the most classical sign of Graves’ disease is bulging eyes (exophthalmos).
Diabetes
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) results from either a lack of insulin production or failure of insulin receptors to detect and respond to secreted insulin. Regardless of the molecular defect, the physiological result is an inability to reduce sugar levels in the blood stream. As glucose levels increase in the blood (hyperglycemia), glucose begins to be excreted in the urine (glycosuria) and eventually rises to such levels as to render the individual unconscious. Symptoms of diabetes are not unlike those seen in hyperthyroidism, which include weight loss and increased appetite. However, more frequent urination and increased urine volume distinguishes diabetes mellitus from any thyroid condition. Close monitoring of blood glucose levels, along with manual administration of insulin, are ways an individual can cope with this disease.
Diabetes Insipidus
Although termed diabetes (which is derived from the Greek word that means “siphon”), this condition has nothing to do with glucose or carbohydrate levels. Both conditions do, however, lead to the production of increased amounts of urine, hence the name diabetes. Diabetes insipidus is caused by a lack of production of ADH by the pituitary gland or failure of ADH receptors in the kidney tubules to detect and respond to ADH. Without ADH, water reabsorption cannot be regulated. This leads to the production of what many describe as copious amounts of diluted urine. Typically, an individual produces approximately 1.5 liters of urine per day. However, a person suffering from DI produces in excess of 3 liters and possibly up to 15 liters of urine per day.
Hyper- and hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of the hormone thyroxine, which is produced in the thyroid. It leads to the inability to gain weight. Hypothyroidism, the underproduction of the hormone, leads to the inability to lose weight.