Functions
The pituitary hormones help control some of the following body processes:
Growth
Blood pressure
Some aspects of pregnancy and childbirth including stimulation of uterine contractions during childbirth
Breast milk production
Sex organ functions in both men and women
Thyroid gland function
The conversion of food into energy (metabolism)
Water and osmolarity regulation in the body
Secretes ADH (antidiuretic hormone) to control the absorption of water into the kidneys
Temperature regulation
It goes without saying that when something is referred to as a “master gland”, chances are it’s pretty important. The pituitary gland is considered one of the master glands of the body due to the fact that it regulates hormone production that is critical to our health and well-being. This feat is made even more amazing when one considers that the overall size of the pituitary gland is on the same level as a pea. That’s a lot of functionality contained in such a small size!
Taking Care of Your Pituitary Gland
A balanced diet is the best way to ensure that your pituitary gland continues working as it needs to. This means a diet that has plenty of fruits, vegetables, proteins, and complex carbohydrates without a lot of fat, sugar, or cholesterol. Taking a multivitamin supplement to catch what your diet doesn’t cover in the way of nutrients is also important. Exercise is just as important — you will need to make sure that you’re getting regular aerobic activity to stimulate blood flow and keep your body running smoothly.
Understanding How The Pituitary Gland Works
This highly important “master gland” doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves given its importance to our overall health. As mentioned earlier, the purpose of the pituitary gland is to produce and regulate hormones. One of the most common hormones produced is growth hormone. This vital hormone helps kids grow up strong by stimulating growth, and helps adults maintain muscle and bone mass. This hormone also affects fat distribution in the body as a whole.
Problems Related to the Pituitary Gland
One of the biggest problems that plague the pituitary gland are pituitary tumors. These are not as uncommon as one would think and are generally not cancerous in nature. They form when some of the cells in the pituitary gland grow too fast and can be organized into two types. Two types of tumors exist - secretory and non-secretory.
The first type are secretory, which basically produce too much of a certain hormone, and the second type are non-secretory, which are troublesome due to their large size. Non-secretory pituitary tumors can press against the brain and cause headaches and other issues that have to be addressed.
There are treatment options for handling pituitary tumors. This is usually done through medications that lower or increase hormone levels depending on the specific issue the patient is having. If that doesn’t take care of the problem, more aggressive methods such as surgery and/or radiation treatment can be applied. This is usually saved as a last resort after drug therapy doesn’t fully take care of the issue. The goal of the surgery process is to fully remove all of the tumor so that healthy function can be restored to the pituitary gland.
Overall, the pituitary gland is a very important part of the body that needs to be cared for and protected just as you would take care of any other body part. Good rest, exercise and a balanced diet can help you keep this vital gland in tip top shape.