Many people have heard of the endocrine system but aren’t sure what it is. This system is comprised of glands, hormones, and receptors that control our metabolism, growth and development, organs, reproduction, and other vital functions. Several issues signal our endocrine system isn’t functioning properly. Here are the most common ones.
Diabetes
Blood sugar is our body’s main source of energy. Insulin, one of the endocrine hormones, helps the glucose from the food get into our cells. Diabetes occurs when there’s a problem with the production or use of insulin. This dangerous condition indicates the endocrine system isn’t working properly.
Hypothyroidism
The thyroid gland, an important part of the endocrine system, produces triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), two hormones that affect all aspects of our metabolism. Hypothyroidism happens when the gland doesn’t produce enough of these hormones. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can lead to goiter, heart problems, mental health issues, infertility, and other conditions.
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a condition that occurs when the thyroid produces more hormones than our body needs. This can accelerate our metabolism and lead to unintentional weight loss, irregular heartbeat, increased appetite, sweating, etc.
Cortisol Imbalance
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone that increases glucose in the bloodstream, enhances the brain’s use of glucose, controls sleep/wake cycles, and regulates blood pressure. A lack of cortisol results in fatigue, low blood pressure, and dizziness. On the other hand, too much cortisol leads to high blood pressure and blood sugar, weight gain, and muscle weakness.
Listen to Your Body
If you have any of the mentioned symptoms, don’t hesitate to visit a doctor and get your endocrine system checked. The symptoms may not seem serious at first, but they can lead to numerous complications that can be avoided if you start the right treatment in time.
