Endocrine System

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM



In Greek words, Endocrine system can be meant a system which secretes their product/secretions in the body (endo = within; krinein = separate). Before we learn about what this system does to our health, let us study first their organs.


In this system, usually we used ‘glands’ as a replace of ‘organs’. Differ from exocrine glands (glands that has its secretions go out of the body, exo = outward) which secretes sweat, saliva, etc., endocrine glands secrete hormone as their secretion. Hormone itself is a chemical substance that can influence development, growth, and activity of the organism. There are many hormones present in our body, read more in this website to know more:
http://www.emcom.ca/primer/list.shtml


Endocrine glands are also known as ductless glands, since the secretions from these glands are carried by blood stream, not a duct. These are some example of endocrine glands:


• Pituitary gland
• Hypothalamus
• Thyroid gland
• Adrenal gland
• Pancreas
• Ovaries (in females only)
• Testes (in males only)


According to the definition of endocrine gland above, it is known that these glands are good for our body. But sometimes these glands can also make some problems on our health. Usually, the diseases are caused by the production of insulin:



1. Lack of insulin
This problem will cause a disease called diabetes mellitus. This disease is a disease that occurs when the body’s blood glucose concentration is kept over normal level. This disease can be caused by two different causes, they are early-onset diabetes and late-onset diabetes. Early-onset diabetes is diabetes caused by the insufficient production of insulin, when the other one is caused by the bad reaction of the insulin.
You can tell if a person is experiencing this disease by the slow healing of wounds. You can also try measure the person’s blood glucose level or the presence of glucose in the urine. The treatment to this disease differs from the type of the diabetes. Early-onset diabetes victim usually have to get their bodies injected by insulin. Late-onset diabetes victim usually only have to control their blood glucose level.






2. Over production of insulin
This problem will cause a decrease in blood glucose concentration. Low or high blood glucose concentration is not a good thing for the body. If in high blood glucose level we can be infected by diabetes, in low blood glucose concentration we can experience a condition called shock. This situation itself can cause coma and even death to the person.