Your endocrine system produces and secretes hormones via glands in your head, neck and torso. Endocrine hormones travel about in your bloodstream, affecting numerous body processes like:
- mood
- digestion
- breathing
- elimination
- metabolism
- reproduction
- sexual function
- blood circulation
- growth & development
- maintain body temperature
If your hormone levels are too high or too low, you may be suffering from an endocrine disorder. Additionally, endocrine diseases occur if your body fails to respond to hormones appropriately. Your endocrine system glands are:
- testes
- pineal
- ovaries
- thyroid
- adrenal
- pituitary
- parathyroid
- hypothalamus
- Islets of Langerhans ~ pancreas
Many different diseases and disorders can cause or be a result of not enough or too much endocrine gland hormone release. Following is a list of some notable diseases and disorders from their respective glands
- hypoparathyroidism
- hyperparathyroidism
- excessive mineral loss from bone
Pituitary:
- infertility
- gigantism
- acromegaly
- amenorrhea
- galactorrhea
- pituitary tumor
- hypopituitarism
- loss of sex drive
- diabetes insipidus
- growth hormone deficiency
- PCOS ~ women
- hypogonadism ~ male
- lack of sex development
Thyroid:
Other health situations that causes some influence over your endocrine system gland’s hormone production or secretion involve:
- stress
- infection
- dehydration
- electrolyte imbalance
Also, there is evidence suggesting that numerous natural and man made chemicals can interfere with your endocrine system gland function, causing adverse health effects. Endocrine disruptors is the term used for chemicals influencing your endocrine system and altering their hormonal function.
The most prevalent endocrine disease and disorder in the U.S. is diabetes. For which those experiencing insulin resistance symptoms could greatly reduce this number by simply following a health promoting diet.