Dr. Ravindra Chhajed

The pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized attached to the base of the brain. It controls growth, functioning and development of other hormonal glands. Deficit of one or more pituitary hormones is a state of Hypopituitarism. This clinical term is used by endocrinologists to mean that one or more pituitary glands are deficient. In hypopituitarism, the pituitary gland does not produce the normal amounts of hormones.

Causes-

Hypopituitarism has the following causes—

1. Brain tumours

2. Sarcoidosis (A lung disorder)

3. Tumours in the pituitary gland

4. Hemochromatosis (Too much iron in the body)

5. Tumours in hypothalamus (Controls the production of hormones)

6. Histiocytosis X (A rare autoimmune disease where the immune cells damage the organs)

7. Tuberculosis

8. Stroke

9. Sheehan syndrome (Excessive blood loss during childbirth)

10. Lymphocytic hypophysitis (An inflammation in the pituitary gland)

11. Radiation treatments like chemotherapy

Symptoms-

Symptoms depend on which hormones is not being produced.

• Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACH): Lack of ACH affects the adrenal glands (endocrine glands producing hormones) and cortisol (steroid hormone). Symptoms include—

  • Fatigue

  • Low sodium levels

  • Loss of weight

  • Pale skin

• Thyroid-stimulating Hormone (TSH): Deficient TSH mostly affects the thyroid (produces growth-regulating hormones) gland. The symptoms are—

  • Fatigue

  • Weight gain

  • Skin dryness

  • Sensitivity to cold

  • Constipation

• Luteinizing hormone (LH): Low luteinizing hormone in women affects their ovaries and ovulation. Symptoms include-

  • irregular periods

  • loss of libido

  • infertility

In men, lack of LH affects their testes and sperm production. Symptoms include-

1. • loss of libido

   • erectile dysfunction

   • impotence

   • infertility.

• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): This hormone affects men and women the same way the luteinizing hormone does. Thus the symptoms are the same.

• Growth Hormone: In children, the growth hormone affects their bone, fat and muscle. They have the following symptoms—

  • Lack of height

  • Increase in body fat

  • Abnormal peak bone mass (bone tissue present after the skeleton matures)

In adults, the whole body is affected. Body fat increases while muscle and bone mass decreases.

• Prolactin: Prolactin deficiency only affects women. The prolactin hormone gets the production of milk started after childbirth. Lack of prolactin thus affects breastfeeding.

• Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH): The kidneys are affected by lack of ADH. Symptoms include—

  • Diluted urine

  • Frequent urination

  • Feeling excess thirst

• Oxytocin: Lactation and childbirth are affected by lack of oxytocin.

Every woman likes to look into the mirror and find not an extra strand of hair on her face, be it the upper lip or near the ears. While it is not uncommon for women to have hair on these and other areas, most women resort to multiple ways to get rid of this. The pattern of this unnecessary hair growth is very similar to the pattern seen in males normally.

This condition of excessive hair growth is known as hirsutism and can be caused by multiple causes, as listed below.

1. Genetic or racial: While the European women have a more clean face that is free of hair, the Mediterranean and Indian women are highly likely to have more facial hair growth. There is also a strong family history relation, and it is hereditary.
2. Androgens (testosterone): This is a male hormone, essential for the development of male sexual characters. Though it is present in very minute amounts in all women, in some, there could be higher than these minimal levels, leading to minor masculine characters, facial hair being one of them.
3. Hormonal imbalances: There are multiple hormonal issues which can manifest as increased facial hair growth. The two most common ones include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and adrenal conditions including tumours, Cushing's syndrome, and hyperplasia. In all these cases, there is increased amount of androgens, leading to excessive facial hair.
4. Medication side effect: Some medications like testosterone, cyclosporine, anabolic steroids, and Minoxidil also lead to increased amounts of facial hair in women. Some other medications used to treat migraines, seizures, schizophrenia, and hypertension can also cause hirsutism. This is indirectly due to increased levels of male hormones in the system, producing these effects.
5. Birth control pills: These also affect the hormone levels and lead to increased facial hair.
6. Obesity: Most women with facial hair are also on the heavier side, and most people have a reduction in hair once weight is managed.

Treatment: The underlying cause should be treated for controlling hair growth. If there is an inducing medication, an alternative should be looked at. While hormone levels can be altered, in most cases, not much can be done. These need to be dealt with using one of the following methods - depilatory creams, waxing, plucking, shaving, laser reduction, electrolysis, and weight loss.

When reading through the above, it is obvious that a lot of causes for hirsutism point towards hormones. This also helps identify hormonal abnormalities in the earlier stages. This helps to identify hormonal disorders in their earlier stages, which are managed with lesser complications. The next time you feel there is more hair on your chin or cheeks, get your hormone levels checked.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Close to 400 million people across the world are affected by diabetes, and this chronic condition drastically reduces the quality of life if not managed properly. Though several treatment options are available to manage the condition, lack of awareness hinders many from seeking treatment.

Insulin therapy is provided for type II diabetes patients to achieve and maintain a steady blood sugar level. A few may think that injecting insulin is a complicated therapy, but there is no reason to be afraid of insulin treatment.

Insulin treatment is often regarded as the last resort when it comes to managing type II diabetes, but experts suggest that this should not be the case. Insulin is a type of hormone that the pancreas produces naturally and in case there is any deficiency of it, a person may have to take insulin. However, you cannot purchase insulin in pill form, and thus, insulin injections are the only way that can stabilize the insulin requirement in your body.

When is insulin given to a person?
Insulin treatment is required when a person who has type II diabetes is not able to produce adequate levels of the hormone, and other techniques and medications fail to treat the condition. Initially, basal insulin, commonly referred to as background insulin is given to a person owing to its low and consistent level in the blood for a long stretch of time. Also, there are different types of medications available for controlling diabetes, and therefore, some people may need one basal injection along with pills while others may require mixed insulin treatment.

The different types of insulin available for treating diabetes-
Every individual has a different set of variables that make his or her health condition unique. There are also various approaches to controlling blood sugar, and this includes the insulin type prescribed as well.
According to the reports of the American Diabetes Association, there are several forms of insulin with their unique benefits and properties such as speed and span of efficacy, and peak points. Here are some of the most commonly prescribed types of insulin:

1. Regular insulin: Also referred to as short-acting insulin, this kind of insulin is consumed during mealtime, and it reaches the bloodstream within half an hour after injecting. It peaks in about 2 to 3 hours and remains effective for up to 6 hours.
2. Long-acting insulin: It is given once a day, and it can stabilize blood sugar levels for the whole day.
3. Rapid-acting insulin: As the name suggests, this insulin works fast and lasts for about 2 to 4 hours.
4. Intermediate-acting insulin: It works slower than its rapid-acting counterpart, but faster than long-acting insulin. It reaches the bloodstream in about 2 hours after injection and remains effective for about 18 hours.

It is crucial to discuss one’s preferences and medical history with a professional endocrinologist for an effective insulin treatment plan.