Your endocrine system includes eight major glands throughout your body. These glands make hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers. They travel through your bloodstream to tissues or organs. Hormones work slowly and affect body processes from head to toe. These include
- Growth and development
- Metabolism - digestion, elimination, breathing, blood circulation and maintaining body temperature
- Sexual function
- Reproduction
- Mood
If your hormone levels are too high or too low, you may have a hormone disorder. Hormone diseases also occur if your body does not respond to hormones the way it is supposed to. Stress, infection and changes in your blood's fluid and electrolyte balance can also influence hormone levels.
In the United States, the most common endocrine disease is diabetes. There are many others. They are usually treated by controlling how much hormone your body makes. Hormone supplements can help if the problem is too little of a hormone.
- Endocrine System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body_basics/endocrine.html
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Endocrine System(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/endo101/
Also available in Spanish http://www.hormone.org/Spanish/sistema_endocrino/
- Endocrine System and Syndromes(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/endocrine.html
- Carney Complex(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Carney+Complex
- Endocrine Tumor(American Society of Clinical Oncology) - http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Endocrine+Tumor
- Hyperinsulinemia: Is It Diabetes?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/hyperinsulinemia/HQ00896/METHOD=print
- Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes(Merck & Co., Inc.) - http://www.merck.com/mmhe/print/sec13/ch167/ch167a.html
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Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type I
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/men1/men1.htm
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Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/zollinger/
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/zollinger-ellison-syndrome/DS00461/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Endocrine Disorders and Joint Diseases(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/arthritis/hic_endocrine_disorders_and_joint_diseases.aspx
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Endocrine Disruptors(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - Links to PDF - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/docs/endocrine.pdf
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What Is an Endocrinologist?(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/public/endocrinologist.cfm
Also available in Spanish http://www.hormone.org/Spanish/que_es_un_endocrinologo.cfm
- Atlas of the Body: The Endocrine System(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZW5TZ46JC
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Endocrine System Diseases(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Endocrine+System+Diseases%22
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Multiple+Endocrine+Neoplasia%22
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Genetics Home Reference: 17-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 3 deficiency(National Library of Medicine) - Links to PDF - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=17betahydroxysteroiddehydrogenase3deficiency
- Genetics Home Reference: 46,XX testicular disorder of sex development(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=46xxtesticulardisorderofsexdevelopment
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Genetics Home Reference: 5-alpha reductase deficiency(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=5alphareductasedeficiency
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Genetics Home Reference: Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, type 1(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=autoimmunepolyglandularsyndrometype1
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Genetics Home Reference: Kallmann syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=kallmannsyndrome
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Genetics Home Reference: McCune-Albright syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=mccunealbrightsyndrome
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Genetics Home Reference: Multiple endocrine neoplasia(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=multipleendocrineneoplasia
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Genetics Home Reference: Swyer syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=swyersyndrome
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Genetics Home Reference: X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=xlinkedadrenalhypoplasiacongenita
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Proceedings of the 40th International Symposium on Endocrinology and Metabolism,... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19368041&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidism: incidence and prevalence related to... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19337172&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Endocrinology of male infertility: evaluation and treatment. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19247916&tool=MedlinePlus
- Endocrine Diseases -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=endocrine+system+diseases[majr:noexp]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Endocrine gland cancer -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(endocrine+gland+neoplasms[majr:noexp]+OR+multiple+endocrine+neoplasia[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists) - http://www.aace.com/resources/memsearch.php
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Directory of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Organizations(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) - http://www.endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/resources/organizations.htm
- Find an Endocrinologist(Hormone Foundation) - http://www.hormone.org/findanendo/
- Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/
- Hormone Foundation - http://www.hormone.org/
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/
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McCune-Albright Syndrome(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/mccune_albright_syndrome.cfm
- Precocious Puberty(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sexual/precocious.html
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Precocious Puberty(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/precocious_puberty.cfm
- What Is a Pediatric Endocrinologist?(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZZ3Y2CCRD
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Endocrine System(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/endocrine.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/cuerpo/endocrine_esp.html
- Male Hypogonadism(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/male-hypogonadism/DS00300/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Patient's Guide to Low Testosterone(Hormone Foundation, Endocrine Society) - http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZO7PDVDLC&sub_cat=57
- Addison's Disease - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/addisonsdisease.html
- Adrenal Gland Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/adrenalglanddisorders.html
- Diabetes - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/diabetes.html
- Growth Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/growthdisorders.html
- Hormones - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hormones.html
- Pancreatic Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pancreaticdiseases.html
- Parathyroid Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/parathyroiddisorders.html
- Pituitary Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/pituitarydisorders.html
- Thyroid Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/thyroiddiseases.html
- Endocrine System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/endocrinesystem.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Endocrine Diseases is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases - http://www.niddk.nih.gov/