Endocrine System Disorders
It’s natural to notice some things related to the endocrine system as you age. Metabolism slows down. This can result in weight gain even if the way you eat, or exercise hasn’t changed. Hormonal shifts may partly explain why you’re more likely to have heart disease, osteoporosis, or even type 2 diabetes as you get older.
Other endocrine system disorders may occur with age.
- Acromegaly – When the pituitary gland makes too much growth hormone, your bones can get bigger than normal. This condition may affect the hands, feet, and face, and this can start happening upon reaching middle age.
- Adrenal insufficiency – When the adrenal glands don’t make enough cortisol, which controls stress, it might be because adrenal glands aren’t making enough hormones.
- Hyperthyroidism – This is when the thyroid gland makes more hormones than your body needs. It can make your system run too fast, resulting in nervousness, weight loss, a rapid heartbeat, and trouble sleeping.
- Hypothyroidism – The opposite of the previous disorder, this is when the body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones. This can make you feel tired, gain weight, have a slow heartbeat, and have muscle and joint pain.
- Hypopituitarism – This is the condition when the pituitary gland doesn’t make enough of certain hormones. This has an adverse effect on the adrenal and thyroid glands.
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia – A group of disorders affecting the endocrine system result in this condition. This causes tumors on at least two endocrine glands or in other organs and tissues.
Key Takeaways
Diabetes happens because of an endocrine system that is not functioning at its best. While this is true, it actually involves problems with the pancreas, which is part of the endocrine system.
The endocrine system is important because it regulates several of the body’s processes. Several glands are part of it, which in turn produce hormones to regulate the activities of other cells. As people get older, some parts of their endocrine system may end up compromised. These endocrine system disorders may be the result of metabolism slowing down, weight gain, hormonal shifts, and glands not working the way they once did.
For more on diabetes, click here.
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