Where is aldosterone hormone produced

Although adrenal insufficiency usually develops over time, it can also appear suddenly as an acute adrenal failure adrenal crisis.

It has similar symptoms, but the consequences are more serious, including life-threatening shock, seizures, and coma. These may develop if the condition is left untreated. Adrenal insufficiency can also result from a genetic disorder called congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Children who are born with this disorder are missing an essential enzyme necessary to produce cortisol, aldosterone or both.

At the same time, they often experience excess of androgen, which may lead to male characteristics in girls and precocious puberty in boys. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia can remain undiagnosed for years depending on the severity of the enzyme deficiency.

In more severe cases, infants may suffer from ambiguous genitalia, dehydration, vomiting and failure to thrive. Sometimes, adrenal glands may develop nodules that produce too much of certain hormones.

Nodules 4 centimeters or larger and nodules that show certain features on imaging increase suspicion for malignancy. Both benign and cancerous nodules may produce excessive amounts of certain hormones, which is referred to as a functional nodule. Functional tumors, malignant tumors or nodules greater than 4 centimeters are recommended to be referred for surgical evaluation. Cushing syndrome results from excessive production of cortisol from the adrenal glands.

The symptoms may include weight gain and fatty deposits in certain areas of the body, such as the face, below the back of the neck called a buffalo hump and in the abdomen; thinning arms and legs; purple stretch marks on the abdomen; facial hair; fatigue; muscle weakness; easily bruised skin; high blood pressure; diabetes; and other health issues.

Excess cortisol production can also be triggered by overproduction of ACTH by a benign tumor in the pituitary gland or tumor elsewhere in the body. This is known as Cushing Disease. Another common cause of Cushing syndrome is excessive and prolonged consumption of external steroids, such as prednisone or dexamethasone, which are prescribed to treat many autoimmune or inflammatory diseases e. Hyperaldosteronism results from overproduction of aldosterone from one or both adrenal glands.

This is characterized by increase in blood pressure that often requires many medications to control. Some people can develop low potassium levels in the blood, which can cause muscle aches, weakness and spasms. When the cause is adrenal oversecretion, the disease is called Conn syndrome. Pheochromocytoma is a tumor that results in excess production of adrenaline or noradrenaline by the adrenal medulla that often happens in bursts.

Occasionally, neural crest tissue, which has similar tissue to the adrenal medulla, may be the cause of overproduction of these hormones. This known as a paraganglioma. Pheochromocytomas may cause persistent or sporadic high blood pressure that may be difficult to control with regular medications. Other symptoms include headaches, sweating, tremors, anxiety and rapid heartbeat.

In Addison's disease, there is a general loss of adrenal function resulting in low blood pressure, lethargy and an increase in potassium levels in the blood see the article on Addison's disease for further information. About Contact Events News. Search Search. You and Your Hormones. Students Teachers Patients Browse. Human body. Home Hormones Aldosterone. Aldosterone Aldosterone is a steroid hormone. Its main role is to regulate salt and water in the body, thus having an effect on blood pressure.

What is aldosterone? Aldosterone is responsible for regulating sodium homeostasis, thereby helping to control blood volume and blood pressure.

Insufficient aldosterone secretion can lead to hypotension and circulatory shock, particularly in infancy. On the other hand, excessive aldosterone levels, or those too high for sodium status, can cause hypertension and exacerbate the effects of high blood pressure on multiple organs, contributing to renal disease, stroke, visual loss, and congestive heart failure.

Aldosterone is also thought to directly induce end-organ damage, including in the kidneys and heart.