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Hormones are like chemical messages that control our body's growth, repair and reproduction. Organs of the hormonal or endocrine system include the pituitary, adrenal, thyroid and parathyroid glands and the ovaries, pancreas and testes.
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Hormones can be thought of as chemical messages that communicate with the body and bring about changes...
Your metabolism is influenced by your age, gender, muscle-to-fat ratio, the food you eat, physical activity and hormone function...
The hormones leptin, insulin, oestrogens, androgens and growth hormone are factors in obesity...
Most cases of Addison's disease are caused by an autoimmune response that attacks and damages the adrenal glands over time...
Some people have Cushing's syndrome symptoms when they take glucocorticoid hormones to treat inflammatory conditions such as asthma, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis...
Cortisol helps to maintain blood pressure, immune function and the body's anti-inflammatory processes...
Acromegaly is caused by an excess of growth hormone in adults, which causes the overgrowth of bones in the face, hands, feet and internal organs...
Some athletes and bodybuilders wrongly believe that taking synthetic growth hormone will help build up their muscles...
Generally, pituitary tumours are benign and slow growing, and pituitary cancers are extremely rare...
Symptoms of a goitre can include enlargement of the throat, swallowing problems and breathing problems...
Good sources of iodine include fortified bread and any type of seafood, including seaweed...
The parathyroid glands make hormones that regulate calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in the bones and blood...
Anyone can develop thyroid cancer, regardless of age or gender...
If the thyroid gland is overactive or sluggish, the metabolism will be affected, leading to a variety of symptoms...
Hashimoto's disease progresses very slowly over many years, so the symptoms may go unnoticed...
Hyperthyroidism can be diagnosed with a simple blood test that measures thyroid hormone levels...
Hypothyroidism means the thyroid gland is underactive which causes the person?s metabolism to slow down...
If you feel uncomfortable about asking questions or talking with your healthcare professionals, having someone there to support you during appointments can help you make difficult decisions and ensure healthcare professionals respect your rights.
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