Hormones and Metabolism Archives - Healthhype

Thyroid Gland Location, Anatomy, Parts and Pictures

Dr. Chris — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:34:10 +0000

The thyroid gland is the one of the largest endocrine gland in the body lying in the front part of the neck. It plays a central role in the body’s metabolism by secreting the thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which increases the basal metabolic rate of cells. It also secretes the hormone calcitonin which is important for regulating calcium deposition. Anatomy of the Thyroid Gland The thyroid gland weights about 15 to 20 grams in adults and lies immediately below the larynx, anterior to the trachea and extends to either side of these structures. It is studded by four parathyroid glands that secrete parathyroid hormone (PTH) which regulate calcium levels in the blood. The thyroid gland is made up of many follicles that are lined with cuboidal epithelium cells. The follicles are filled with colloid that contains thyroglobulin to which the thyroid hormones are attached. These follicles have the capacity to store thyroid hormones for 2 to 3 months. Picture from Wikimedia Commons Parts of the Thyroid Gland The thyroid is a bilobular gland surrounded by a fibrous capsule and can be divided into the following parts : Right lobe that lies to the right side (lateral) of [...]

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Diabetic Foot Pain, Ulcers, Care and Other Problems

Dr. Chris — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:49:14 +0000

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder where a deficiency of insulin or the unresponsiveness of cels to insulin leads to elevated blood glucose levels. Proper treatment and effective management can help delay or even avoid certain complications associated with diabetes mellitus but eventually its effects become evident. In the well managed diabetic patient, the complications may be minimal or restricted to a few organs. However, in poorly managed and long standing cases, the complications may affect most organs and almost every system in the body. One of the common problems associated with diabetes, particularly long standing and poorly managed cases, is the host of lower limb complications broadly referred to as the ‘diabetic foot’. What is diabetic foot? Diabetic foot is the common term for the complications seen in the lower limb, particularly the foot, in diabetic patients often as a result of neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease. The combination of these factors, along with impaired immune functioning and poor wound healing, makes the foot the ideal site for a host of pathology that falls under the term of ‘diabetic foot’. Although the term ‘diabetic foot’ may sound fairly innocuous, it has potentially life-threatening consequences if not treated and managed [...]

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Acromegaly – Excessive Growth Hormone in Adults

Dr. Chris — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:27:17 +0000

Growth hormone as the name suggests is responsible for the growth of all the tissues of the body. It is produced in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, a small pea-shaped gland at the base of the skull. The pituitary gland is commonly referred to as the master gland because it secretes various hormones that have a wide range of effects, either directly on tissues or by acting on other endocrine glands. Normally the level of growth hormone in the body is regulated by the gonadotropin hypothalamic-releasing hormone (GNRH) from the hypothalamus and somastatin from various other organs like the pancreas. These hormones act on the pituitary gland to stimulate growth hormone production and secretion. Sometimes the regulation is disrupted or disease within the pituitary gland leads to excessive secretion of growth hormone. When there is an excess of growth hormone then it causes an ‘overgrowth’ of the body tissues. In adults this is known as acromegaly while in children it leads to gigantism. What is acromegaly? Acromegaly is a growth disorder caused by the secretion of excessive amounts of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland. The characteristic features are an ‘overgrowth’ of the body tissues which presents [...]

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Graves Disease – Thyroid Antibodies and Excess Thyroid Hormones

Dr. Chris — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:34:22 +0000

Hyperthyroidism is the state of a hyperfunctioning thyroid gland commonly referred to as an overactive thyroid gland. In this state, the thyroid gland produces and secretes excessive quantities of thyroid hormones (thyrotoxicosis). Hyperthyroidism is due to a number of causes but over 70% of the cases are a result of Graves disease. What is Graves disease? Graves disease is an autoimmune condition that causes overactivity of the thyroid gland (hyperthroidism). In Graves disease, the body produces antibodies that target its own tissues (autoantibodies), specifically the thyroid gland. These autoantibodies attach to the same receptor sites that are occupied by the hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland. As a result the overactive thyroid gland produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones thereby leading to the associated clinical syndrome (thyrotoxicosis). The thyroid hormones, thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), control the body’s metabolism. The thyroid gland’s activity is regulated directly by the anterior pituitary (pituitary gland) and indirectly by the hypothalamus. When the thyroid gland is needed to produce and secrete more thyroid hormones, the hypothalamus releases thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). The degree of stimulation is determined by the quantity of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream. TRH acts on the anterior pituitary causing it to [...]

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Pineal Gland Anatomy (Parts), Function and Pinealoma (Tumor)

Dr. Chris — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:05:43 +0000

The pineal gland does not receive much attention in medicine because there are no significant diseases or lesions that solely affect it apart from tumors. Even then, a pineal tumor referred to as a pineoloma is a rare occurrence in comparison to diseases affecting surrounding tissues and glands. For as long as the pineal gland was known to have existed, there has been much debate about its function with some ascribing it to being the “seat of the soul” which earned the pineal gland the term of “third eye”. However, the pineal gland is now well understood and its functions in humans and other animals have been ascertained. What is the pineal gland? The pineal gland is a minute gland located at the base of the brain. It lies between two areas known as the superior colliculi (singular ~ colliculus) which is an essential visual center in the brain. Like any other endocrine gland in the body, the pineal gland secretes a hormone in response to certain stimuli. In the pineal gland, this is the hormone melatonin and the stimuli appears to be darkness. Anatomy of the Pineal Gland The pineal gland is a composed of specialized epithelial-like cells known [...]

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Untreated Diabetes Mellitus Consequences and Symptoms

Dr. Chris — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:25:29 +0000

Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as sugar diabetes, is a growing problem globally largely associated with a more sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Despite it being one of the more common chronic conditions in most populations, there is still widespread ignorance about the serious nature of this disease and the consequences if the condition is left untreated. Since diabetes is largely asymptomatic in the early stages and eventually presents with several mild symptoms, there is a misconception that it is not a dangerous condition. Diabetes mellitus can drastically reduce the quality of life if left untreated and eventually lead to life-threatening complications. The presence of diabetes mellitus even when well managed increases the risk of many other serious diseases. The most severe complications in diabetes is seen in long term cases that are poorly controlled but there are several diabetic emergencies that can suddenly arise which can be equally as dangerous even in a person who has been diabetic for just a short period of time. What happens if diabetes mellitus is untreated? It is important to first understand the disease mechanism in diabetes mellitus. The body has several ways of regulating the different levels of various substances in the body. [...]

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High Sugar (Glucose) Levels in Blood or Urine – What does it mean?

Dr. Chris — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 23:24:51 +0000

How does sugar get into the blood? All food that is digested and then absorbed travels through the bloodstream to the liver. Here it is processed further – some is broken down into simpler compounds, some is stored and others may be converted or even excreted. However, the body retains almost all of the macronutrients – carbohydrates, proteins and fats – in some form or the other. The cells in the body need a constant supply of nutrients to produce energy. This is mainly in the form of glucose, a type of simple sugar. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in that it is broken down into simple sugars like glucose and then transported via the bloodstream to all the cells of the body for energy production. When carbohydrates are in short supply, the body will use proteins or fats which can also be converted into glucose. Sugar in the blood is therefore derived from : nutrients absorbed from the gut and on its way to the liver food broken down by the liver and glucose released to the body’s cells conversion of fats or protein into glucose for energy production when carbohydrates are in short supply How is [...]

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Weight Gain with Stress (Hormones, Diet and Exercise)

Dr. Chris — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:07:25 +0000

Does stress cause weight gain? There are several reasons for weight gain – some related to lifestyle factors (the most common causes), physiological responses like pregnancy and pathological factors like diseases of the thyroid or adrenal glands. Weight gain in most instances is a result of consuming more calories than is needed for energy production to maintain life processes and facilitate the daily physical activities. In other words, eating more than is needed for physical activities in a day will lead to a storage of the extra calories in the form of fat – the ultimate storage form of nutrients. One of the lesser known contributing factors is psychological stress that can lead to weight gain through various mechanisms. Hormones in stress weight gain Stress these days takes on a different meaning with modern life. Whereas in the wild stress means fighting or fleeing for survival, the human body has to now contend with intense psychological stress ranging such as emotional strain, career pressures and financial worries. The human body has several mechanisms to deal with stress which is largely regulated by the neuroendocrine system. Impulses in the brain stimulate the master gland of the body (pituitary) and hypothalamus to [...]

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Subacute Thyroiditis (Temporary Thyroid Dysfunction)

Dr. Chris — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:42:16 +0000

What is subacute thyroiditis? Subacute thyroiditis is a condition where the thyroid gland is inflamed for short periods of time leading to overactivity, then underactivity and eventually returning to a normal state. The condition responds spontaneously meaning that it heals on its own although medication may be used to limit the severity of the diseases and control the symptoms. There are three main types of subacute thyroiditis which are either caused by a virus or by the immune system attacking the thyroid gland (autoimmune). In a minority of cases there may be permanent damage to the thyroid gland leading to lifelong underactivity of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). However, the term subacute means that the thyroid dysfunction lasts for months or even a year but almost always returns to normal on its own. It is therefore not chronic. Subacute Thyroiditis Effects The thyroid gland is a medium sized gland sitting in the front of the neck. It has a right and left lobe joined by an isthmus. It secretes thyroid hormones which have a host of effects but primarily control the metabolism – the rate at which energy is produced. There are two thyroid hormones – triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) [...]

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Insulinoma (Insulin Tumors)

Dr. Chris — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:12:47 +0000

What is an insulinoma? An insulinoma is a rare tumor of the pancreas leading to an excess of insulin. The pancreas makes several enzymes and hormones, including the hormone insulin. In case of an insulinoma, the pancreas makes too much of insulin which can upset the normal metabolism. Insulin controls blood sugar (glucose) levels by moving blood sugar into cells. Hormone-producing tumors of the pancreas are also known as pancreatic endocrine tumors. Under normal conditions, the pancreas stops making insulin once blood sugar becomes low. Blood sugar again rises slowly and comes to a normal level. However, in case of an insulinoma the pancreas keeps making insulin, which keeps moving sugar into the cells. Due to this, blood sugar levels drop to dangerously low levels. This can result in mild to severe symptoms ranging from anxiety and hunger to seizures, coma or death. Location and Pictures Insulinomas originate from insulin-producing cells of pancreas, called islet cells. The pancreas is an elongated gland located in the upper part of the abdomen. There is usually no local symptoms associated with the tumor, such as pain. Picture of a surgically removed insulinoma sourced from Wikimedia Commons Picture of the cells of an insulinoma [...]

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