Major Glands:

• Hypothalamus
• Pituitary Gland
• Thyroid
• Parathyroid
• Adrenal Glands
• Pineal Body
• Reproductive Glands (wich include the ovaries and testes)
• Pancreas

The suprarenal gland (adrenal gland) is located at the top of each kidney; therefore each person has two suprarenal glands. This glands are made up of two distinct parts.....

• The adrenal cortex -the outer part of the gland- produces hormones that are vital to life, such as cortisol (which helps regulate metabolism and helps your body respond to stress) and the aldosterone (which helps control blood preassure)

• The adrenal medulla -the inner part of the gland- produces nonessential (that is, you don't need them to live) hormones, such as adrenaline (which helps your body react to stress)

Anatomy of the Adrenal Glands

The adrenal glands are two, triangular-shaped organs that measure about 1.5 inches in height and 3 inches in length. Their names directly relates to their location (ad-near or at; renes- kidneys)

Each adrenal gland is comprised of two distinct structures—the outer part of the adrenal glands is called the adrenal cortex. The inner region is known as the adrenal medulla.

The adrenal cortez produces three hormones:

1. Mineralocorticoids: the most important of which is aldosterone. This hormone helps to maintain the body’s salt and water levels which, in turn, regulates blood pressure. Without aldosterone, the kidney loses excessive amounts of salt (sodium) and, consequently, water, leading to severe dehydration.
2. Glucocorticoids: predominantly cortisol. This hormone is involved in the stress response and also helps to regulate body metabolism. Cortisol stimulates glucose production by mobilising amino acids and free fatty acids. Cortisol also has significant anti-inflammatory effects.
3. Adrenal androgens: male sex hormones mainly dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone. All have weak effects, but play a role in early development of the male sex organs in childhood, and in women during puberty. These are involved in creating and maintaining the differences between men and women.

The adrenal medulla produces catecholamines:

Catecholamines include adrenaline, noradrenaline and small amounts of dopamine - these hormones are responsible for all the physiological characteristics of the stress response, the so called ‘fight or flight’ response.

Just an interesting fact.....

Most people know about the adrenal glands thanks to James L. Wilson, the naturopathic doctor who coined the term “adrenal fatigue,” calling it the “21st-century stress syndrome,” and used it for the title of his 1998 book. He believes modern life and chronic stress exhaust the adrenal glands, overworking them and causing them to produce lower levels of hormones needed to cope with stress. Endocrinologists treat people who don’t produce enough adrenal hormones, a condition that’s called Addison’s disease, or adrenal insufficiency, and diagnosed with a blood test. But adrenal fatigue is unproven, and most endocrinologists dismiss it as an “Internet disease.”