Vitamin D
/hormones/vitamin-d/
Vitamin D is a hormone produced by the kidneys that helps to control the concentration of calcium in the blood and is vital for the development of strong bones.

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?

Hypophosphataemia
/endocrine-conditions/hypophosphataemia/
Hypophosphataemia is the term used to describe low levels of phosphate in the blood. It is most commonly caused by hyperparathyroidism and vitamin D deficiency.

Hypocalcaemia
/endocrine-conditions/hypocalcaemia/
Hypocalcaemia refers to low calcium levels in the blood. It is most commonly caused by either vitamin D deficiency or diseases of the parathyroid glands causing low parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/secondary-hyperparathyroidism/
Secondary hyperparathyroidism is the release of increased amounts of parathyroid hormone (hyperparathyroidism), which is an appropriate response to low calcium or vitamin D levels in order to try to bring calcium levels back up to normal.

Rickets
/endocrine-conditions/rickets/
Rickets is a condition in children where there is abnormal softening of the bones due to the lack of key minerals. It is also known as osteomalacia in adults.

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.

Kidneys
/glands/kidneys/
The kidneys are specialised organs that ensure unwanted substances and excess water are removed from the bloodstream.

Parathyroid hormone
/hormones/parathyroid-hormone/
Parathyroid hormone is secreted by the parathyroid glands and is the most important regulator of blood calcium levels.

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

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.

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.

Premenstrual syndrome
/endocrine-conditions/premenstrual-syndrome/
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition that affects women during the days leading up to her monthly period; it can cause distressing physical and emotional symptoms.

Hypercalcaemia
/endocrine-conditions/hypercalcaemia/
Hypercalcaemia is the presence of abnormally high calcium levels in the blood.

Hypoparathyroidism
/endocrine-conditions/hypoparathyroidism/
Hypoparathyroidism is a rare condition characterised by inadequate parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion from the parathyroid glands, resulting in low calcium levels in the bloodstream.

Gastrin
/hormones/gastrin/
Gastrin is a hormone produced by the stomach, which stimulates gastric motility and the release of gastric acid.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
/endocrine-conditions/multiple-endocrine-neoplasia-type-1/
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is a rare inherited disease, which can result in tumours in the pituitary and parathyroid glands, and pancreas.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A
/endocrine-conditions/multiple-endocrine-neoplasia-type-2a/
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) is a rare inherited disease causing the development of tumours in the thyroid, adrenal and parathyroid glands.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B
/endocrine-conditions/multiple-endocrine-neoplasia-type-2b/
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) is a rare inherited disease causing the development of tumours in the thyroid, adrenal and parathyroid glands, and mucosal tumours.

Treatment for menopause
/endocrine-conditions/treatment-for-menopause/
Lifestyle factors such as exercise, dietary factors, smoking cessation and reducing alcohol intake can improve menopause-related symptoms as well as improve heart and bone health.

Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency
/endocrine-conditions/adult-onset-growth-hormone-deficiency/
Adult-onset growth hormone deficiency is where the pituitary gland fails to produce enough growth hormone. It can be successfully treated with growth hormone therapy.

What is HRT?
/explore/discover/what-is-hrt/
Hormone replacement therapy (or HRT) (also known as menopausal hormone therapy; MHT) is the replacement of female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in women to control symptoms of the menopause.

Familial medullary thyroid cancer
/endocrine-conditions/familial-medullary-thyroid-cancer/
Familial medullary thyroid cancer is a rare inherited form of thyroid cancer.

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

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

Thyrotoxicosis
/endocrine-conditions/thyrotoxicosis/
Thyrotoxicosis is a medical condition caused by an excessive amount of thyroid hormones in the bloodstream.

Toxic thyroid nodule
/endocrine-conditions/toxic-thyroid-nodule/
A toxic thyroid nodule refers to a single nodule in the thyroid gland that releases excessive thyroid hormones. The excess thyroid hormone production is termed ‘hyperthyroidism’ and can causes symptoms of thyrotoxicosis (i.e. due to excess thyroid hormones).

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.

Hormones of pregnancy and labour
/explore/discover/hormones-of-pregnancy-and-labour/
This article describes hormones that play an important role in pregnancy and labour.

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.

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.

Erythropoietin
/hormones/erythropoietin/
Erythropoietin is a hormone, produced mainly in the kidneys, which stimulates the production and maintenance of red blood cells.

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).

Carcinoid tumour
/endocrine-conditions/carcinoid-tumour/
Carcinoid tumours are slow-growing tumours that arise from specialised cells that release hormones.

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.

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.

Gastrinoma
/endocrine-conditions/gastrinoma/
Gastrinomas are tumours which produce an excessive amount of the hormone called gastrin. These tumours originate from pancreas, stomach and the small intestine.

Goitre
/endocrine-conditions/goitre/
Goitre is a general term for an enlarged thyroid gland. Depending on the type of swelling, location, how it affects gland function and how long it has been present, goitre has various effects and is treated in a variety of different ways.

Female infertility
/endocrine-conditions/female-infertility/
Infertility is when a couple are unable to conceive a child after 12 months of trying (regular intercourse without the use of contraception). After investigation, this may be attributed to reasons identified in the male or female partner. In this article, reasons for infertility that affect the female partner will be discussed.

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.