islets of Langerhans
/glossary/glossary/islets-of-langerhans/
cells in the pancreas that detect changes in blood sugar levels. They produce hormones including insulin and glucagon.

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.

Testosterone
/hormones/testosterone/
Testosterone is a hormone that is responsible for many of the physical characteristics specific to adult males. It plays a key role in reproduction and the maintenance of bone and muscle strength.

Premature ovarian insufficiency
/endocrine-conditions/premature-ovarian-insufficiency/
Menopause usually happens in women over the age of 45 years, but if the ovaries stop working prematurely (i.e. before the age of 40 years), this is called ‘Premature Ovarian Insufficiency’ (POI).

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.

Does when I eat affect my weight?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Glucagon
/hormones/glucagon/
Glucagon is produced to maintain glucose levels in the bloodstream when fasting and to raise very low glucose levels.

Insulin
/hormones/insulin/
Insulin is an essential hormone produced by the pancreas. Its main role is to control glucose levels in our bodies.

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.

Somatostatinoma
/endocrine-conditions/somatostatinoma/
Somatostatinomas are rare neuroendocrine tumours that arise from tumour cells originated from specialised hormone-producing cells in the endocrine pancreas and duodenum (first part of small intestine).

Pancreas: KS4 article
/explore/discover/pancreas-ks4-article/
The pancreas is an organ near the stomach. Most of its cells make digestive enzymes for the gut. Other cells make important hormones, including insulin, which control (regulate) the movement of sugar in the body.

deep vein thrombosis
/glossary/glossary/deep-vein-thrombosis/
(DVT) a condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg or thigh. The blood clot can break off into the bloodstream and cause obstruction in other organs.

How can future technology help my hormones?
/explore/resources/podcasts/how-can-future-technology-help-my-hormones/
Could 3D printed pancreases be the cure for type 1 diabetes? Will AI take over in the IVF clinic? How and why have researchers created a remote controlled adrenal gland?

Hypopituitarism
/endocrine-conditions/hypopituitarism/
Hypopituitarism is the failure of production of one or more hormones from the pituitary gland.

Are my hormones making me horny?
/explore/resources/podcasts/are-my-hormones-making-me-horny/
What’s the difference between sexual desire and arousal? How does the contraceptive pill affect your sex drive? Which hormone has recently been found to boost sexual arousal in both men and women?

Will taking hormones make me taller?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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.

Nurse Academic
/students/careers/nurse-academic/
Kate Davies, Nurse Academic: I teach qualified health care professionals Non-Medical prescribing, which is how to prescribe medicines which are relevant to their clinical practice.

Leptin
/hormones/leptin/
Leptin is a hormone secreted from fat cells that helps to regulate body weight.

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.

Should I take a vitamin D supplement?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

What is homeostasis?
/explore/discover/what-is-homeostasis/
Hormones are responsible for key homeostatic processes including control of blood glucose levels and control of blood pressure.

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.

Anti-Müllerian hormone
/hormones/anti-muellerian-hormone/
Anti-Müllerian hormone is a protein hormone which is important in the development of the reproductive tract in a male foetus and is also produced (before birth) by the testes and ovaries.

Hypothalamus
/glands/hypothalamus/
The hypothalamus is a part of the brain that has a vital role in controlling many bodily functions including the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.

Are my hormones making me fat?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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.

Should we have the steroid Olympics?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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.

Is there really a fertility crisis?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Is my diabetes my fault?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Dehydroepiandrosterone
/hormones/dehydroepiandrosterone/
Dehydroepiandrosterone is an important precursor hormone, and is the most abundant circulating steroid present in the human body. It has little biological effect on its own but has powerful effects when converted into other hormones such as sex steroids.

Are everyday chemicals harming my health?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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.

Is modern life overloading our stress levels?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

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.

Eating disorders - KS4 article
/endocrine-conditions/eating-disorders-ks4-article/
Eating disorders refer to unhealthy eating habits, which cause psychological and physical damage but can be treated in many cases.

Eating disorders - symptoms and causes
/explore/discover/eating-disorders-symptoms-and-causes/
Eating disorders refer to unhealthy eating habits, which cause psychological and physical damage but can be treated in many cases.

Can my pet pick up my stress?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Feedback loops
/explore/discover/feedback-loops/
This article explains what feedback loops are and how they work. It explains the difference between positive and negative feedback loops, and gives examples of how both are used in the body.

Adrenaline: KS4 article
/explore/discover/adrenaline-ks4-article/
The hormone adrenaline helps prepare the body for action in a crisis. Its effects on the body include sharpening senses, getting muscles ready to work hard, and reducing pain. Its powerful effects make it useful as a drug, including for use in treating severe allergic reactions (called anaphylaxis).

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.

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.

Oestradiol
/hormones/oestradiol/
Oestradiol is an important reproductive hormone that has a wide range of actions in both men and women.

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

Non-functioning pituitary tumours
/endocrine-conditions/non-functioning-pituitary-tumours/
Non-functioning pituitary tumours are the most common benign growths in the pituitary gland. These tumours are usually identified because of impaired vision or hormone deficiencies.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
/endocrine-conditions/congenital-adrenal-hyperplasia/
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is an inherited disorder that results in low levels of cortisol and high levels of male hormones, causing development of male characteristics in females, and early puberty in both boys and girls.

Endometriosis
/endocrine-conditions/endometriosis/
Endometriosis is a condition in women where the lining of the womb grows outside of the womb causing scar tissue and painful monthly periods.

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.

Cortisol: KS4 article
/explore/discover/cortisol-ks4-article/
Cortisol (also known as hydrocortisone) is a steroid hormone that regulates a very wide range of processes throughout the body. It is perhaps most famous for its role in helping the body respond to stress.

Hormones in human reproduction
/explore/discover/hormones-in-human-reproduction/
Hormones are key players in human reproduction. They ensure everything happens at the right time, from puberty to menstruation and child birth. 

Hormones and eating
/explore/discover/hormones-and-eating/
Hormones work to ensure that we consume the right amount of food we need to fuel our bodies each day. They are responsible for signalling to the brain when it’s time to start eating and also when to stop eating. When these signals don’t function properly, this can promote obesity.

Can I hack my hormones to beat ageing?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Can I hack my hormones to beat jet lag?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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.

Menopause vs. manopause – are they equivalent?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Pre-eclampsia
/endocrine-conditions/pre-eclampsia/
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that arises during pregnancy in which the expectant mother experiences very high blood pressure and protein in her urine; it can lead to a range of complications.

Female contraceptives
/explore/resources/female-contraceptives/
Contraceptives are medications and devices that are designed to prevent unintended pregnancies.

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.

What is a hormone?
/explore/discover/what-is-a-hormone/
Hormones are chemical messengers. They are nearly always made by endocrine glands, and they travel in the blood. Their signals can affect different organs and tissues in different ways. Hormones are especially important for growth, metabolism, appetite, puberty, and sexual reproduction.

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.

Have I got a thyroid problem?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?

Can I hack my hormones to improve my mood?
/explore/resources/podcasts/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?