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What Is the Endocrine System?

The endocrine system is made up of glands that make hormones. Hormones are the body's chemical messengers. They carry information and instructions from one set of cells to another.

The endocrine (pronounced: EN-duh-krin) system influences almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies.

What Does the Endocrine System Do?

Endocrine glands release hormonesinto the bloodstream. This lets the hormones travel to cells in other parts of the body.

The endocrine hormones help control mood, growth and development, the way our organs work, metabolism, and reproduction.

The endocrine system regulates how much of each hormone is released. This can depend on levels of hormones already in the blood, or on levels of other substances in the blood, like calcium. Many things affect hormone levels, such as stress, infection, and changes in the balance of fluid and minerals in blood.

Too much or too little of any hormone can harm the body. Medicines can treat many of these problems.

What Are the Parts of the Endocrine System?

While many parts of the body make hormones, the major glands that make up the endocrine system are the:

The pancreas is part of the endocrine system and the digestive system. That's because it secretes hormones into the bloodstream, and makes and secretes enzymes into the digestive tract.

Hypothalamus: The hypothalamus (pronounced: hi-po-THAL-uh-mus) is in the lower central part of the brain. It links the endocrine system and nervous system. Nerve cells in the hypothalamus make chemicals that control the release of hormones secreted from the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus gathers information sensed by the brain (such as the surrounding temperature, light exposure, and feelings) and sends it to the pituitary. This information influences the hormones that the pituitary makes and releases.

Pituitary: The pituitary (pronounced: puh-TOO-uh-ter-ee) gland is at the base of the brain, and is no bigger than a pea. Despite its small size, the pituitary is often called the "master gland." The hormones it makes control many other endocrine glands.

The pituitary gland makes many hormones, such as:

growth hormone, which stimulates the growth of bone and other body tissues and plays a role in the body's handling of nutrients and minerals

prolactin (pronounced: pro-LAK-tin), which activates milk production in women who are breastfeeding

thyrotropin (pronounced: thy-ruh-TRO-pin), which stimulates the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones

corticotropin (pronounced: kor-tih-ko-TRO-pin), which stimulates the adrenal gland to make certain hormones

antidiuretic (pronounced: an-ty-dy-uh-REH-tik) hormone, which helps control body water balance through its effect on the kidneys

oxytocin (pronounced: ahk-see-TOE-sin), which triggers the contractions of the uterus that happen during labor

The pituitary also secretes endorphins (pronounced: en-DOR-fins), chemicals that act on the nervous system and reduce feelings of pain. The pituitary also secretes hormones that signal the reproductive organs to make sex hormones. The pituitary gland also controls

ovulationand the menstrual cycle in women.

Thyroid: The thyroid (pronounced: THY-royd) is in the front part of the lower neck. It's shaped like a bow tie or butterfly. It makes the thyroid hormones thyroxine (pronounced: thy-RAHK-sin) and triiodothyronine (pronounced: try-eye-oh-doe-THY-ruh-neen). These hormones control the rate at which cells burn fuels from food to make energy. The more thyroid hormone there is in the bloodstream, the faster chemical reactions happen in the body.

Thyroid hormones are important because they help kids' and teens' bones grow and develop, and they also play a role in the development of the brain and nervous system.

Parathyroids: Attached to the thyroid are four tiny glands that work together called the parathyroids (pronounced: par-uh-THY-roydz). They release parathyroid hormone, which controls the level of calcium in the blood with the help of calcitonin (pronounced: kal-suh-TOE-nin), which the thyroid makes.

Adrenal Glands: These two triangular adrenal (pronounced: uh-DREE-nul) glands sit on top of each kidney. The adrenal glands have two parts, each of which makes a set of hormones and has a different function:

1. The outer part is the adrenal cortex. It makes hormones called corticosteroids (pronounced: kor-tih-ko-STER-oydz) that help control salt and water balance in the body, the body's response to stress, metabolism, the immune system, and sexual development and function.

2. The inner part is the adrenal medulla (pronounced: muh-DUH-luh). It makes catecholamines (pronounced: kah-tuh-KO-luh-meenz), such as epinephrine (pronounced: eh-puh-NEH-frun). Also called adrenaline, epinephrine increases blood pressure and heart rate when the body is under stress.

Pineal: The pineal (pronounced: pih-NEE-ul) body, also called the pineal gland, is in the middle of the brain. It secretes melatonin (pronounced: meh-luh-TOE-nin), a hormone that may help regulate when you sleep at night and when you wake in the morning.

Reproductive Glands: The gonads are the main source of sex hormones. Most people don't realize it, but both guys and girls have gonads. In guys the male gonads, or testes (pronounced: TES-teez), are in the scrotum. They secrete hormones called androgens (pronounced: AN-druh-junz), the most important of which is

testosterone(pronounced: tess-TOSS-tuh-rone). These hormones tell a guy's body when it's time to make the changes associated with puberty, like penis and height growth, deepening voice, and growth in facial and pubic hair. Working with hormones from the pituitary gland, testosterone also tells a guy's body when it's time to make sperm in the testes.

A girl's gonads, the ovaries (pronounced: OH-vuh-reez), are in her pelvis. They make eggs and secrete the female hormones

estrogen(pronounced: ESS-truh-jen) and progesterone(pronounced: pro-JESS-tuh-rone). Estrogen is involved when a girl starts puberty. During puberty, a girl will have breast growth, start to accumulate body fat around the hips and thighs, and have a growth spurt. Estrogen and progesterone are also involved in the regulation of a girl's menstrual cycle. These hormones also play a role in pregnancy.

Pancreas: The pancreas (pronounced: PAN-kree-us) makes insulin (pronounced: IN-suh-lin) and glucagon (pronounced: GLOO-kuh-gawn), which are hormones that control the level of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. Insulin helps keep the body supplied with stores of energy. The body uses this stored energy for exercise and activity, and it also helps organs work as they should.

How Can I Help Keep My Endocrine System Healthy?

To help keep your endocrine system healthy:

Get plenty of exercise.

Eat a nutritious diet.

Go for regular medical checkups.

Talk to the doctor before taking any supplements or herbal treatments.

Let the doctor know about any family history of endocrine problems, such as diabetes or thyroid problems.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Let the doctor know if you:

drink a lot of water but are still thirsty

have to pee often

have frequent belly pain or nausea

are very tired or weak

are gaining or losing a lot of weight

have tremors or sweat a lot

are constipated

are not growing or developing as expected

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The endocrine system influences almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies. It is instrumental in regulating mood, growth and development, metabolism, and sexual function, among other things.

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The glands of the human endocrine system make more than 20 major hormones. The hormones travel in the blood to cells throughout the body. A part of the brain called the hypothalamus helps to control the release of many hormones.

The major glands of the endocrine system include the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, as well as the pancreas. The ovaries are glands found only in women. Men have glands called testes.

Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland is a bean-sized gland at the base of the brain. It sits beneath the hypothalamus. The pituitary gland makes hormones that control many body functions. One hormone controls the growth of the body. Another helps women deliver babies and helps produce milk so that women can nurse their babies. Other hormones made by the pituitary gland control how other endocrine glands work.

Thyroid and Parathyroid Glands

The thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck. It produces a hormone that controls how fast cells burn food to release energy. Four parathyroid glands are attached to the thyroid gland. They make a hormone that helps control the amount of calcium in the blood. Calcium is an important mineral that helps bones to grow.

Adrenal Glands

One adrenal gland sits on top of each kidney. The two adrenal glands are divided into two main parts. One part produces hormones that do many jobs. For example, they control the mixture of salt and water in the body. The other part makes hormones that raise blood pressure and heart rate when the body is under stress.

Pancreas

The pancreas is located just behind the stomach. This gland produces two important hormones called insulin and glucagon. They work to keep the right amount of sugar in the blood.

Ovaries and Testes

Ovaries sit in the pelvis, or lower belly, of females. They make hormones that cause breasts, wide hips, and other female features to develop. Ovaries also produce eggs. Testes sit in a pouch behind the penis in males. They make hormones that cause a deep voice, facial hair, and other male features to develop. Testes also make male sex cells, or sperm.

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In the human body, a group of organs called glands make up the endocrine system. Glands make hormones. These are chemicals that help control activities of the body. Insects,...

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