Endocrine Disorders: Problems in Women and Men

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The endocrine system is a network of glands, chemicals, and receptor sites scattered across your body. This system makes and uses various hormones that control different bodily functions. Some hormones affect mood, while others help run your body's most basic functions.

This article will explore what kinds of endocrine disorders can develop and how these issues vary between men and women.

Healthcare provider showing a male caretaker and young girl how to use a diabetic blood glucose moniotr

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What Goes Wrong in Endocrine Disorders?

The fundamental problem in any endocrine disorder is an issue of too much or too little of something. With endocrine disorders, it could mean that your body is producing too much or not enough of a specific hormone, or even if you are making the right amount of hormone, your body might not be using it effectively.

The main functions controlled by the endocrine system are:

  • Reproduction and sexual function
  • Growth and development
  • Metabolism
  • Mood

Feedback Loops: Your Body's Quality Control Manager

In most people, feedback loops built into your body's programming keep hormone levels in check. Receptor sites and the glands that produce hormones communicate with each other and adjust hormone production based on information returned from a feedback loop.

Most endocrine hormones are regulated by a negative feedback loop, which sends a message when there is too much of a hormone, causing the gland that produces that hormone to make less and keep levels within a strict range.

Affected Glands and Organs in Endocrine Disorders

The endocrine system is a complex network of glands that secrete various hormones (chemical messengers), each with different roles within the body. The primary glands of the endocrine system—and the sites of most endocrine disorders—include:

  • Pituitary gland: Secretes nine different hormones that work together to maintain body equilibrium (homeostasis)
  • Pineal gland: Produces melatonin and helps regulate sleep and wake cycles
  • Thyroid gland: Produces metabolic hormones that are crucial for digestive and heart function
  • Parathyroid gland: Regulates your body's levels of calcium and phosphorous
  • Adrenal gland: Produces hormones that help regulate functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, stress responses, and immune function
  • Gonads: Male or female reproductive glands that create reproductive hormones that control your sexual function
  • Hypothalamus: Connects the endocrine and nervous systems
  • Pancreas: Produces hormones that regulate blood sugar
  • Thymus: Produces hormones that support immune function

Common Endocrine Disorders

Most endocrine disorders can affect both males and females, except disorders of the reproductive glands and hormones. Below are some of the most common endocrine disorders, regardless of your sex.

Diabetes

Diabetes is, by far, the most common endocrine disorder affecting men and women, with more than 11% of Americans having some form of diabetes. Diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas and impacts how much insulin your body makes or how it uses this hormone. Without sufficient insulin or insulin use, glucose builds up in your bloodstream but never enters your cells, starving your body of essential nutrients.

Addison's Disease

Addison's disease, corresponding to the adrenal glands, is a condition that develops when your body doesn't produce enough of certain hormones, specifically cortisol and aldosterone. Symptoms can include fatigue, salt cravings, and dizziness—or, in severe cases, heart rhythm changes and fainting. These deficiencies are usually treated with supplements of the hormone you lack.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism, a condition affecting the thyroid gland, occurs when your body doesn't make enough thyroid hormones. These hormones help control your digestion, heart function, and other metabolic processes. Hypothyroidism can happen due to an iodine deficiency, genetics, or other disorders of the pituitary system.

If you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid hormone levels will be below the normal range and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are high and you may experience symptoms like fatigue, dry skin, and constipation. Hypothyroidism is treated with replacement thyroid hormones taken daily.

Hashimoto's Disease

Hashimoto's disease, or Hashimoto's thyroiditis, another condition related to the thyroid gland, is a form of hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune disease. It results from your body's immune system attacking your thyroid gland and the hormones it produces. This condition can be passed through families and may appear alongside other autoimmune disorders. Treatment is similar to that of hypothyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism is a condition that develops from an overactive thyroid gland and produces excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. If you have an overactive thyroid, your thyroid hormone levels will measure above the average range and your TSH will be low. Too much thyroid hormone speeds up your body's metabolism and can cause symptoms like weight loss, an irregular heartbeat, shakiness, and sweating.

Hyperthyroidism is usually treated by reducing the amount of thyroid replacement you are taking, adjusting other medications, thyroid gland radiation, or, in some cases, surgical removal of your thyroid.

Graves' Disease

Graves' disease is a form of hyperthyroidism triggered by an autoimmune reaction, similar to Hashimoto's disease but with the opposite effect on your thyroid hormones. With Grave's disease, your immune system's attack on the thyroid gland causes it to overproduce thyroid hormones instead of underproducing them. Symptoms and treatment methods for Graves' disease are similar to those for general hyperthyroidism.

Cushing's Syndrome

Cushing's syndrome is when your adrenal glands produce too much cortisol. As a stress hormone, excessive cortisol can lead to symptoms like weight gain, easily bruised skin, and muscle weakness. High cortisol can also result in increased facial hair and irregular periods for women. For men, it could contribute to decreased fertility, erectile dysfunction, and a lack of interest in sex.

Does Adrenal Fatigue Count?

Adrenal fatigue is a collection of symptoms similar to those people with adrenal insufficiency disorders experience. There isn't evidence to support adrenal fatigue as a medical disorder, meaning there is no definitive malfunction or problem with the adrenal gland or its hormone levels.

While this "diagnosis" has become relatively accepted in our culture, especially in alternative medicine, many health experts caution using this term as a catch-all that could prevent the diagnosis of more severe disorders with similar symptoms.

Endocrine Disorders in Females

The ovaries are the primary organ responsible for female reproductive hormone production. Ovaries release unfertilized eggs, and the cycle of egg release controls menstruation. Several hormones make up the female endocrine system, including estrogen and prolactin. Various disorders can arise based on the hormone affected, and each can appear with different symptoms.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is the most common endocrine disorder in females, caused by an imbalance of a few different hormones, including estrogen, insulin, and others. Symptoms of PCOS may include:

  • Acne
  • Irregular periods
  • Fertility problems
  • Excess facial hair
  • Thinning hair
  • Weight gain
  • Skin changes
  • Increased insulin resistance
  • High cholesterol
  • Fatty liver disease
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that only develops during pregnancy and usually resolves after delivery, although it may increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. There typically are no specific gestational diabetes symptoms. Healthcare providers screen for it during regular prenatal testing. Some signs of diabetes in general, however, can include:

  • Frequent urination
  • Increased thirst
  • Weight loss
  • Blurred vision
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
  • Dry skin
  • Fatigue

Menopause

Menopause is a normal process of aging that occurs when female reproductive hormones are produced less and less, eventually resulting in infertility. Symptoms of this process are the result of changing hormone levels and can include the following:

  • Hot flashes
  • Mood swings
  • Sweating
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Sleep problems
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Libido changes

Endocrine Disorders in Males 

The testes are the primary site of hormone production for males, and testosterone and androgens are the most well-known hormones. As in females, endocrine disorders in males can appear with different symptoms, depending on which hormone is affected.

Testosterone is the hormone most often affected in males, but whether there is too little or too much can make a big difference.

Low Testosterone (Hypogonadism)

Low testosterone and hypogonadism in males can appear with symptoms like:

  • Low sex drive
  • Poor erection quality
  • Low sperm count
  • Tender or enlarged breast tissue
  • Hair loss
  • Loss of muscle mass

High Testosterone

High testosterone can also cause symptoms, including:

  • Early puberty
  • High sex drive
  • Engaging in high-risk behaviors
  • High blood pressure
  • Aggression

How Do You Know If You Have an Endocrine Disorder?

Not all endocrine disorders are easy to spot. In many cases, you might not know you have an endocrine disorder until you have advanced symptoms. For example, a thyroid disorder often takes time to progress to a point of diagnosis. These conditions are often only found after other potential conditions have been excluded.

In the case of reproductive hormone imbalances, you may not realize you have a problem unless you are having difficulty becoming pregnant and have fertility testing performed.

Regardless of the symptoms you are experiencing, most endocrine disorders can be diagnosed by checking hormone levels with blood testing. In some cases, such as with thyroid and reproductive disorders, imaging studies to examine the size and structure of endocrine glands are also helpful.

Goal of Endocrine Disorder Treatment

For most endocrine disorders, treatment goals are to balance your hormone levels to get them in a normal range. For diabetes and hypothyroidism, this means supplementing your body's insulin and thyroid hormones.

When overproduction of a hormone is the problem, as in hyperthyroidism and Cushing's syndrome, the answer may be to remove all or part of the overactive gland. When this happens, you may take supplemental hormones after surgery to give you the correct amount of hormone the removed gland should have been making.

Summary

Your endocrine system controls the production and use of hormones throughout your body. Symptoms vary based on which gland is affected, but these disorders often have vague symptoms that are difficult to pinpoint. It may take some testing to identify your specific disease; an endocrinologist is usually the best specialist to help you manage these conditions.

18 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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By Rachael Zimlich, BSN, RN
Rachael is a freelance healthcare writer and critical care nurse based near Cleveland, Ohio.