You & Your Adrenals

The adrenal glands are a pair of fleshy triangular-shaped organs, each about the size of a walnut. They lie above the kidneys, on the back wall of the abdomen and are one of several organs of the human endocrine system, the others being the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, pancreas,
and the sex organs (testes/ovaries).

The human endocrine system carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body, much like the network of nerve fibers in the body. The endocrine glands produce chemical messengers, quite like the electrical messengers produced by the nerves. These chemical messengers are called hormones and are released directly into the bloodstream to stimulate activity in the cells in the body. Different hormones seek out and act on different cells in the body, and this is
sometimes called "targeting" (go read How Do Hormones Work).

The human body is an extremely complicated structure and can function efficiently only when the equilibrium within each organ, tissue, and cell is closely monitored and controlled.

The adrenal glands are divided into two distinct parts, the cortex and the medulla, each with very distinct functions.

The adrenal cortex acts much alike a power station. It uses cholesterol as a raw material and produces a family of very special hormones called Corticosteroids namely Glucocorticoids, Mineralocorticoids, and Adrenal Androgens (Sex Hormones).

Glucocorticoids regulate the use of digested foods and help the body adapt to stress. The most important is CORTISOL.

Mineralocorticoids regulate the excretion of sodium and potassium by the kidneys. The most important is ALDOSTERONE.

Adrenal Androgens, the sex hormones, are produced only in very small quantities by the adrenal glands. These influence the development of sexual characteristics in both males and females.

The adrenal medulla produces adrenaline and noradrenaline, two very special hormones which have widespread and rapid effects throughout the human body.

The failure of any of these functions will have very serious effects on the body.

The adrenal glands are controlled by the pituitary gland, a small pea-sized organ situated in a bony depression at the base of the brain. The pituitary is the "master" gland and acts like the conductor of an orchestra. It controls many other glands in the body. When the adrenal glands do not make enough of the main products, the pituitary tells the the adrenals to make more, by sending a message in the form of an adrenal-stimulating hormone Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (ACTH).

There are several medications available which are satisfactory substitutes for  the hormones produced by the adrenal glands. In theory, medical science has made it possible for a person to live
without both adrenal glands.However, there is nothing like the real thing. The adrenal glands are part of the self regulating endocrine system of the human body. The hormones produced by the adrenals
are in response to the delicate body chemistry. Synthetic hormones are "fixed" in dosage and therefore cannot respond rapidly to the needs of the body, especially during a crisis like an illness.