Triiodothyronine
/hormones/triiodothyronine/
Triiodothyronine is a thyroid hormone that plays vital roles in the body's metabolic rate, heart and digestive functions, muscle control, brain development and function, and the maintenance of bones.

Cholecystokinin
/hormones/cholecystokinin/
Cholecystokinin is a gut hormone released after a meal, which helps digestion and reduces appetite.

Make your own body clock
/explore/resources/activities/make-your-own-body-clock/
Pupils make their own ‘body clock medallion’ to take home. They will learn what hormones are involved in some key bodily functions in a 24-hour period. This activity is designed for students aged 8-12 and is a craft activity designed to stimulate discussion around hormonal control of everyday biological processes.

Thyroxine
/hormones/thyroxine/
Thyroxine is the main hormone secreted into the bloodstream by the thyroid gland. It plays vital roles in metabolism, heart and muscle function, brain development, and maintenance of bones.

Can I hack my hormones to improve my mood?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/can-i-hack-my-hormones-to-improve-my-mood/
Do happy hormones exist? Is there a chemical recipe for improving your mood and is oxytocin really the biological basis of love?

Can I hack my hormones to beat jet lag?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/can-i-hack-my-hormones-to-beat-jet-lag/
We explore the hormones behind our sleep-wake cycle, how they can get out of sync and why some athletes are totally immune to jet lag.

Can I hack my hormones to beat ageing?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/can-i-hack-my-hormones-to-beat-ageing/
Are there really chemicals inside us that could lead to some age-defying interventions in the future? Could our hormones hold the map to the fountain of youth?

Precocious puberty
/endocrine-conditions/precocious-puberty/
Precocious puberty is the abnormally early start of puberty before nine years of age in a boy and eight years of age in a girl.

Why do we need hormones?
/explore/discover/why-do-we-need-hormones/
Over 50 hormones have been identified in the human body, but there are likely more to be discovered.

Season Two
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/
Hormones: The Inside Story

Should we have the steroid Olympics?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/should-we-have-the-steroid-olympics/
Doping scandals are a regular feature in sporting events, but how do the hormones involved boost performance and why are they banned? Plus, a short history of doping.

What does your pituitary gland do?
/explore/resources/video-library/what-does-your-pituitary-gland-do/
Often called the 'master gland', learn how your pituitary gland produces hormones that regulate you body's essential functions.

How do I find a patient support group?
/explore/discover/how-do-i-find-a-patient-support-group/
Throughout the website we provide links to relevant patient groups, who may be able to provide advice and support

Have I got a thyroid problem?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-three/have-i-got-a-thyroid-problem/
Do you ever feel tired and sluggish, and find yourself putting on a few pounds? Or perhaps you’re anxious, irritable, and no matter how much you eat, you're just not gaining weight? Does Dr Google think your thyroid is to blame for all your woes?

Paraganglioma
/endocrine-conditions/paraganglioma/
A paraganglioma is a rare type of tumour that forms along major blood vessels and nerves. Paragangliomas can occur in the head, neck, chest or abdomen.

Primary hyperaldosteronism
/endocrine-conditions/primary-hyperaldosteronism/
Primary hyperaldosteronism is a condition where one or both adrenal glands make too much of a hormone called aldosterone. This hormone controls how much salt (sodium) and water the body absorbs (retains) from the kidneys. Retaining too much salt and water can cause high blood pressure.

Are everyday chemicals harming my health?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/are-everyday-chemicals-harming-my-health/
There are chemicals all around us, but can they interfere with our hormones? Endocrine disruptors have been linked with a number of health problems, so for the final episode in the series we look at where these chemicals are found and whether we should be worried.

Adrenal glands
/glands/adrenal-glands/
The adrenal glands are small glands attached to the top of each kidney. The human body has two adrenal glands that release chemical messengers called hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones travel via the blood to have an action in other parts of the human body.

Can my pet pick up my stress?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-three/can-my-pet-pick-up-my-stress/
S3:2 Do animals recognise when we are feeling the pressure? How can dogs help us when our stress hormones fail? And how has studying stress in horses helped us understand human hormones?

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
/endocrine-conditions/circadian-rhythm-sleep-disorders/
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders occur when the circadian clock in the brain, which drives daily behavioural and physiological rhythms, is not synchronised with 'real' local time. This can result in abnormal sleep patterns, sleep loss and fatigue.

Obesity: KS4 article
/explore/discover/obesity-ks4-article/
Obesity is a condition where so much fat is stored that it is a risk to health.

Parathyroid glands
/glands/parathyroid-glands/
The parathyroid glands are situated in the neck and control the levels of calcium in the blood.

Are my hormones making me fat?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/are-my-hormones-making-me-fat/
How do our hormones impact our eating habits and will scientists ever make a diet pill? Plus, the tale of the Labradors and the impossible sausage.

Diabetes mellitus: KS4 article
/explore/discover/diabetes-mellitus-ks4-article/
About one in every twenty people in the UK have diabetes mellitus, so it’s very likely that you know someone who is diabetic. The most common are Type 1 and Type 2.

Jet lag
/endocrine-conditions/jet-lag/
Rapid travel across time zones may lead to jet lag – a range of temporary symptoms occurring because the body's internal (circadian/daily) clock cannot immediately reset.

Hormone Hospital Challenge
/students/hormone-hospital-challenge/
Hormone Hospital Challenge is an interactive online revision game designed for GCSE and Level 5 school students, and Junior Cycle biology courses to test and deepen their understanding of hormones.

Will taking hormones make me taller?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/will-taking-hormones-make-me-taller/
Ever wished that you could change your height? We investigate how hormones affect our height destinies, and what they have to do with the legend of the Irish giants.

Is modern life overloading our stress levels?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/is-modern-life-overloading-our-stress-levels/
We all know what it's like to feel stressed, perhaps this year more than most, but what are our stress hormones really doing to our minds and bodies?

Testes
/glands/testes/
The testes are two oval-shaped male reproductive glands that produce sperm and the hormone testosterone.

Primary hyperparathyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/primary-hyperparathyroidism/
Primary hyperparathyroidism is the release of too much parathyroid hormone from the parathyroid glands causing high levels of calcium in the bloodstream.

Endocrine system: KS4
/explore/discover/endocrine-system-ks4/
The endocrine system is one of two major communication networks in the body. The other is the nervous system. These two systems allow cells to communicate across distance. This is necessary for our cells to be able to work together as a single organism.

Is my diabetes my fault?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-three/is-my-diabetes-my-fault/
Is type 2 diabetes really a “lifestyle disease”? Why do some people develop diabetes even though they’re eating healthily while many obese people escape the disease? How can your environment shape your diabetes risk before you’re even born?

Cushing's syndrome
/endocrine-conditions/cushings-syndrome/
Cushing's syndrome is the name given to the collection of signs and symptoms that occur when the body is exposed to too much of the hormone cortisol.

Addison's disease
/endocrine-conditions/addisons-disease/
Addison’s disease is an endocrine condition where the adrenal glands stop functioning, so that the body no longer produce enough steroid hormones. Treatment is with hormone replacement therapy and some lifestyle adaptations to ensure patients remain well.

Is there really a fertility crisis?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/is-there-really-a-fertility-crisis/
Is humanity approaching a catastrophic decline in fertility. Are hormone-hijacking chemicals to blame for falling sperm counts? Should we be concerned and what can we do about it?

Hyperthyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/hyperthyroidism/
Hyperthyroidism is a common condition where the thyroid gland becomes overactive and produces too much thyroid hormone.

Does when I eat affect my weight?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/does-when-i-eat-affect-my-weight/
Does when you eat affect your body weight? Do meal-timing based diets like intermittent fasting really work? How are your hormones involved and does this new diet fad stand up to scientific scrutiny?

Acromegaly
/endocrine-conditions/acromegaly/
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops from the overproduction of Growth Hormone (GH) in the body. It is usually caused by a benign (non-cancerous) tumour of the pituitary gland called an adenoma, which produces too much Growth Hormone (GH).

Resistance to thyroid hormone
/endocrine-conditions/resistance-to-thyroid-hormone/
Resistance to thyroid hormone is a rare genetic condition where some body tissues do not respond normally to thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. It may be associated with no symptoms or with features of both an overactive and underactive thyroid.

Tertiary hyperparathyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/tertiary-hyperparathyroidism/
Tertiary hyperparathyroidism means excess production of parathyroid hormone that has escaped all normal body feedback controls and so persists even in cases where the initial cause (low blood calcium) has been corrected.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
/endocrine-conditions/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos/
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition that affects hormones in the body, including androgens (hormones such as testosterone, which if too high can cause excess hair growth and acne), luteinising hormone (LH) and insulin.

Prader-Willi syndrome
/endocrine-conditions/prader-willi-syndrome/
Prader-Willi syndrome is a genetic disorder leading to excess hunger and obesity, lack of some hormones, developmental delay, learning difficulties and behavioural problems.

Physiotherapist
/students/careers/physiotherapist/
Katherine Cook, Physiotherapist & Physiotherapy Lecturer: Physiotherapists help people of all ages to improve their health and wellbeing, there aren’t many areas of healthcare where you don’t find a physio working as part of the team.

Female infertility: KS4 article
/explore/discover/female-infertility-ks4-article/
Many couples experience difficulties in conceiving a child. About one in six UK couples find themselves unable to conceive after a year of trying. At this point, they are considered to have infertility. But it’s important to understand that this diagnosis does not mean it is impossible that they could still naturally conceive.

Hormonal control in humans
/explore/discover/hormonal-control-in-humans/
Hormones are chemical messengers. The endocrine system is one of two main communication systems in the body.

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone
/hormones/corticotrophin-releasing-hormone/
Corticotrophin-releasing hormone is the main element that drives the body's response to stress. It is also present in diseases that cause inflammation. Too much or too little corticotrophin-releasing hormone can have a range of negative effects.

Should I take a vitamin D supplement?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-one/should-i-take-a-vitamin-d-supplement/
Vitamin D, the hormone in disguise, is currently in the spotlight as the world's favourite supplement, but is it really all it's cracked up to be?

Pancreas
/glands/pancreas/
The pancreas is an organ that serves two vital purposes: to aid food digestion and to produce hormones that mainly serve to control levels of energy in the blood.

Hormones in puberty
/explore/discover/hormones-in-puberty/
Puberty is when a child experiences physical and emotional changes that occur as their body begins to develop and change, transitioning into adulthood. These changes happen gradually over time.

Menopause vs. manopause – are they equivalent?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-two/menopause-vs-manopause-are-they-equivalent/
The menopause marks one of the biggest natural shifts in hormones for women and can bring with it a number of unpleasant symptoms. But is there a testosterone-based equivalent in men?

Erectile dysfunction
/explore/discover/erectile-dysfunction/
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to have or maintain an erection for sexual intercourse.

Mass Spectrometry Core Manager
/students/careers/mass-spectrometry-core-manager/
Natalie Homer, Mass Spectrometry Core Manager: The mass spectrometry core facility I manage has six instruments and a team of four technical specialists.

Klinefelter's syndrome
/endocrine-conditions/klinefelters-syndrome/
Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic condition that can only affect boys / men and occurs due to the presence of one (or more) extra X chromosomes. The condition is typically characterised by tall stature, reduced fertility and development of breast tissue (gynaecomastia), although in some men there may be no clinical features other than reduced or absent sperm count.

Hyponatraemia
/endocrine-conditions/hyponatraemia/
Hyponatraemia means abnormally low levels of sodium (salt) in the bloodstream or a deficiency of sodium in the body.

Insulinoma
/endocrine-conditions/insulinoma/
An insulinoma is a type of tumour that occurs in the pancreas. The tumour secretes too much insulin, which causes blood glucose (sugar) to drop to low levels.

Hypothyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/hypothyroidism/
Hypothyroidism is a condition that develops when the thyroid gland is unable to produce enough thyroid hormones.

Insulin: KS4 article
/explore/discover/insulin-ks4-article/
Insulin is a type of hormone. Its job is to tell our cells when there’s a lot of sugar in our blood. This is important because cells need sugar for energy, and also because too much sugar in the blood can be dangerous. When cells don’t receive insulin’s message, it causes a disease called diabetes mellitus.

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF): KS4 article
/explore/discover/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf-ks4-article/
IVF is used by couples experiencing infertility. It can overcome a number of different barriers to pregnancy. It can also be used with donor sperm and eggs, or when using a surrogate.

Pineal gland
/glands/pineal-gland/
The pineal gland is situated in the middle of the human brain and is the major site of the body's melatonin production.

Thyroid gland
/glands/thyroid-gland/
The thyroid gland is part of the endocrine system and produces thyroid hormones, which are important for metabolic health.

Growth and height
/explore/discover/growth-and-height/
Ever wondered why some people are very tall and others are shorter? Or why some people grow fast and others much slower? Behind everyone’s height is a mix of genetics, hormones, nutrition, the environment and sometimes, medical conditions.

Is my soya latte messing with my hormones?
/explore/resources/podcasts/season-three/is-my-soya-latte-messing-with-my-hormones/
Should I be concerned about growth hormones in a cow's milk cappuccino? Are the plant oestrogens in a soya latte affecting my risk of cancer? Will almond milk damage my thyroid? 

Osteoporosis
/endocrine-conditions/osteoporosis/
Osteoporosis is a bone disorder caused by loss of bone mass, resulting in abnormal bone structure and an increased risk of fracture.

cervix
/glossary/glossary/cervix/
the neck or opening of the womb. During labour the cervix opens to allow the foetus to be delivered.

In vitro fertilisation treatment (IVF)
/explore/discover/in-vitro-fertilisation-treatment-ivf/
In vitro fertilisation is a fertility treatment which stimulates the ovaries to produce multiple eggs which are collected and fertilised by sperm outside of the body in the laboratory to create embryos. One or two of which are then selected and transferred back to the womb in order to result in pregnancy.

Pharmacist
/students/careers/pharmacist/
Rachel Cornish, Lead Pharmacist: From researching how medications can affect the endocrine system to spending time with patients and helping with their medications on the ward, each day is always varied and you’re constantly learning.

gestation
/glossary/glossary/gestation/
the period of time when a baby is developing inside its mother's womb. In humans, this period is nine months.

Careers
/students/careers/
Explore the career profiles of different people working in the health sector - what do they love about their job, what does their day-to-day look like, and what’s their advice for someone wanting to follow their career path?

Sugar control in the body
/explore/discover/sugar-control-in-the-body/
Sugar is a tasty treat but it is also vital for life. Nearly every living cell on Earth uses a sugar called glucose as its primary energy source. Including the cells that make up our bodies.

Hormones and foetal growth
/explore/discover/hormones-and-foetal-growth/
Growth of the foetus during pregnancy is regulated by a balance of hormones.

Vasopressin Related Polyuria
/endocrine-conditions/vasopressin-related-polyuria/
AVP-deficiency is a rare condition caused by a reduced or inability to produce vasopressin (AVP), whilst AVP-Resistance is the failure to respond to vasopressin. The umbrella term for both AVP-Deficiency and AVP-Resistance is Vasopressin Related Polyuria or AVP-related polyuria. The symptoms of both conditions is the passing of large amounts of dilute urine (more than 50ml/Kg in 24 hours) and increased thirst (called polydipsia). AVP-deficiency and AVP-Resistance used to be called Cranial and Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus, but neither condition is at all related to Diabetes Mellitus (’mellitus’ meaning ‘sweet’ and referring to high sugar levels that cause excess passing of urine). The name of these conditions therefore formally changed from Diabetes Inspidus in December 2024 to avoid confusion with the condition Diabetes Mellitus.

What is Cancer - KS4 article
/explore/discover/what-is-cancer-ks4-article/
Cancer is a condition where some of a person’s own cells start to grow and divide in an uncontrolled way. These cancer cells behave differently from the original cells and can gain new abilities normally found in other cell types.

Turner syndrome
/endocrine-conditions/turner-syndrome/
Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder affecting the equivalent of one in 2,500 girls, which may lead to a number of features including short stature, failure to enter puberty and infertility.

Dihydrotestosterone
/hormones/dihydrotestosterone/
Dihydrotestosterone, a hormone with powerful androgenic actions, causes the body to mature during puberty and is responsible for many of the physical characteristics associated with adult males.

Glucagonoma
/endocrine-conditions/glucagonoma/
A glucagonoma is a very rare tumour of the pancreas in which there is an increase in release of the hormone glucagon, causing a characteristic skin rash and raised blood sugar levels.