Endocrine system:
The endocrine system interacts with the nervous system to coordinate and integrate body activities by means of hormones. Endocrine tissues and organs secrete hormone into body fluids (mainly blood and lymph) directly using diffusion. Exocrine tissues, such as salivary glands, and sebaceous glands, secrete chemical substances through ducts into an open space. (Constanti et al. 1998; Wilson et al. 1998)
Hormones:
Hormones are molecules that are produced by endocrine glands, including the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, gonads, (i.e., testes and ovaries), thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, and pancreas. The term “endocrine” implies that in response to specific stimuli, the products of those glands are
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Hormones also influence the way the body uses and stores energy and control the volume of fluid and the levels of salts and sugar (glucose) in the blood. Very small amounts of hormones can trigger very large responses in the body. (veldman, r.g., and meinders, a.e 1996)
Although hormones circulate throughout the body, each type of hormone influences only certain organs and tissues. Some hormones affect only one or two organs, whereas others have influence throughout the body. For example, thyroid-stimulating hormone, produced in the pituitary gland, affects only the thyroid gland. In contrast, thyroid hormone, produced in the thyroid gland, affects cells throughout the body and is involved in such important functions as regulating growth of cells, controlling the heart rate, and affecting the speed at which calories are burned.Insulin , secreted by the islet cells of the pancreas, affects the processing (metabolism) of glucose, protein, and fat throughout the body. Most hormones are proteins. Others are steroids, which are fatty substances derived from
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Even when hormone levels do not decline, endocrine function generally declines with age because hormone receptors become less sensitive. Although such decreased function suggests that hormone replacement therapy might be beneficial in older people, such therapy generally does not appear to reverse aging or prolong life and, in some cases (such as estrogen replacement in older women), is potentially harmful. However, ongoing research is examining the beneficial effects of providing some hormones to older people. (Zachary, McGavin (ed) 2012)
References:
CONSTANTI, A.; BARTKE, A.; AND KHARDORI, R. Basic Endocrinology for Students of Pharmacy and Allied Clinical Health Sciences. Amsterdam: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1998.
DORGAN, J.F.; REICHMAN, M.E.; JUDD, J.T.; BROWN, C.; LONGCOPE, C.; SCHATZKIN, A.; CAMPBELL, W.S.; FRANZ, C.; KAHLE, L.; AND TAYLOR, P.R. Relation of reported alcohol ingestion to plasma levels of estrogens and androgens in premenopausal women (Maryland, United States). Cancer Causes and Control 5(1):53–60,
Lipid-soluble and Water-soluble hormones are products of the Endocrine gland. These hormones are transported in the body through the blood stream. However, they have different characteristics or properties that ensure their effectiveness is accomplished.
The location of the pituitary gland is in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone and attaches to the hypothalamus(Marieb & Hoehn 441). The Hypothalamus is included in the function of the pituitary gland as it sends chemical stimulus to it(Marieb & Hoehn 442).Part of the pituitary is called the “ master endocrine gland” due to the fact that is produces many hormones that affect the whole body(Shannon 175).This part of the pituitary gland is called the anterior pituitary(Marieb & Hoehn 601). There are six hormones that the anterior pituitary secretes normally. These Hormones are growth hormones,thyroid stimulating hormones,adrenocorticotropic hormones,luteinizing hormones,follicle stimulating hormones and prolactin hormones( Shannon 175).The Hormone prolactin is one that in normal function stimulates the act of lactation for new mothers to feed their baby(Shannon 175).
While the respiratory and cardiovascular systems are most reliant on one another, all body systems require a functioning circulatory cycle in order to thrive. Blood circulation and consistent transfer of oxygen to cells is required to maintain cell and tissue life. Disturbances to this process will cause cells and tissues to die (Red Cross 48). This state of balance and functioning body systems is referred to as homeostasis, defined as a “condition of equilibrium in the body’s internal environment due to constant interaction of body’s many regulatory processes” (Tortura 8). Changes or disruptions to homeostasis are regulated by the Endocrine and Nervous systems of the body. The endocrine system is made up of glands placed throughout the body
“High levels of hormones can cause problems in the human body, but can hormones we ingest really alter our hormone level...
Menopause, also know as “the change” is a normal stage in the life cycle of aging women. During menopause a women’s body slowly produces less of the two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen promotes the normal development of the female breast and uterus, controls the ovulation cycle, and affects women’s physical and emotional health, while progesterone controls menstruation and prepares the lining of the uterus to receive the fertilized egg.
An analogy that fits very well with the study of the endocrine system is that of a message in a bottle. We can think of the body as a river, and a specific hormone may be a bottle containing a message. The organs or glands mentioned above would manufacture the “bottles'; (hormones) that would be released into the river (blood stream). If there were no receptor sites for the hormones in the body, then they would continue to flow along the river and probably not make their destination. However, there are systems of receptor sites that enable specific hormones to bind in specific places. Structure also plays a major role in determining which hormones are able to bind to which receptors.
Other hormones (glucagons, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol) work to oppose the effects of insulin and are often referred to as counterregulatory hormones. These hormones work to increase blood glucose levels by stimulating glucose production and output by the liver and by decreasing the movement of glucose into the cells. Insulin and the these counterregulatory hormones provide a sustained but regulated release of glucose for energy during food intake and periods of fasting and usually maintain blood glucose levels within the normal range. An abnormal production of any or all of these hormones may be present in diabetes.
Alcoholism accounts for more than 15% of health care costs in the elderly. It is associated with an estimated 100,000 deaths per year in the United States. Alcohol consumption can produce both benefits and risks. In terms of benefits, men who drink two to six alcoholic beverages per week have decreased mortality rates and lower cardiovascular disease when compared with abstainers. On the negative side, two studies of 300,000 men demonstrated increased mortality among those consuming more than 2 to 3 drinks daily. Women, are more affected by less alcohol than men, perhaps because they have a lower blood volume, and so it’s distribution and decreased activity for gastric alcohol dehydrogenase are increased.
During recent years, numerous newspaper and magazine articles have suggested that humans may be at risk because small amounts of well known environmental contaminants, such as dioxin, PCBs and DDT, can affect hormone levels. Hormones are produced by the endocrine system as regulators of biological function in target organs. Because hormones play a critical role in early development, toxicological effects on the endocrine system often have an impact on the reproductive system. The term endocrine disruptor is used to describe chemicals that can mimic hormones and may either enhance or counteract their effects. It has been suggested that these hormone changes can, in turn, lead to a variety of health problems including cancer, decreased fertility, and abnormalities in newborns.
Endocrine regulation¬¬¬¬¬¬ – the cells in the bones release a hormone known as osteocalcin which helps regulate glucose levels and fat deposition. On top of spiking up the production of insulin and reducing stores of fat it also increases the secretion of insulin.
During middle adulthood biological and physical changes become apparent. During this time visual perception, hearing and the reproductive system decline. Adults who have never worn glasses or contact lenses may start needing visual correction (pg 424). During this time adults may also need more light to see than their younger friends (pg 424). During middle adulthood individuals, more commonly men, develop a lower sensitivity to high pitch sounds (pg 424). This is the reason why individuals during this stage find it more difficult to hear and interpret other voices.(pg 424). The female reproductive system starts to decline, slowly ending in menopause. The decline in the circulation of estradiol, the primary hormone of estrogen, causes many differences in reproductive health. During middle age pubic hair thins, there are changes in vaginal chemistry, and the labia begins to thin and wrinkle (pg 424). The chemical changes within the vagina cause dryness and a greater likelihood of infections (pg 424). For men, the decrease in testosterone during middle age is only small however the decrease causes lower bone density and loss of muscle m...
The pancreas, in addition to its digestive process has two important hormones, Insulin and Glucagon which are important for the maintenance of blood glucose level at a narrow range. Not only glucose, but also they are important for protein and lipid metabolism. Glucagon is secreted by the alpha cells of the islet of Langerhans and Insulin is secreted by the beta cells of Langerhans. Both are secreted to portal vein. (8)
...culatory system. Pituitary gland is a growth hormone that helps in mertabolism and develops reproductive organs. The thyroid controls metabolsim on the rate that the body breaks down food. Adrenal gland secretes many hormones including adrenaline which prepares the body to react in a stressful situation. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and insulin. Ovaries produce ova and estrogen. Testes produce sperm cells and testosterone. To stay healthy you should get a regular medical check-up, eat a well-balanced diet, sleep at least 8 hours, and decrease stress in your life. Some problems are growth disorders, diabetes, and obesity. Puberty begins at different times for girls then boys. Girls start around ages 9-13 and boys are ages 10-15.
Each gland of the endocrine system is responsible for the releasing of different hormones, and those hormones trigger different activities in different places of the body. Hypothalamus, pineal body, anterior and posterior pituitary glands, adrenal gland, and thyroid gland are the main glands of the endocrine system while there are some other associated glands, as well. The endocrine system is known to be as the chemical information system. Some of the main functions of this system have to do with growth and development, metabolism, tissue function, sexual function, mood swings,
The thyroid secretes several hormones, collectively called thyroid hormones. They help to generate heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and the rate in which food is converted into energy. The 2 main thyroid hormones are T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxin). The amount of thyroid hormones secreted is controlled by another hormone, called thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is released from the pituitary gland in your head ("How Your Thyroid Works"). Thyroid hormones act throughout the body, influencing metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature. During infancy and childhood, adequate thyroid hormone is crucial for brain development (Tree, 2013). The thyroid gland also makes the hormone calcitonin, which is involved in calcium metabolism and stimulating bone cells to add c...