What is the function of the adrenal glands?
1 Answer
The adrenal glands secrete hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, and aldosterone to maintain homeostasis.
Explanation:
Don't worry if some of the terms in the answer sound complicated and unfamiliar, because the following few paragraphs help explain everything extremely clearly:
What is the Adrenal Gland?
The adrenal gland is an important part of the human endocrine system, and is one of the many glands in your body that secretes hormones. Your adrenal glands are located above your kidneys.
The Endocrine System and Hormones
When most people hear the word "hormone," they instantly associate it with puberty and adolescence. However, there are so many other hormones other than the ones involved in puberty, that have a variety of functions in your body. Hormones help your body maintain homeostasis (stable internal body conditions, like regulating your body temperature) and the endocrine system usually functions by secreting hormones into your bloodstream that allow your body to respond appropriately to a stimulus.
The Structure of the Adrenal Gland
The adrenal gland has two parts: The adrenal cortex, which forms the outer part of the gland, and the adrenal medulla, which forms the inner part of the gland.
The adrenal cortex produces a variety of hormones, including cortisol, which regulates metabolic function and helps your body adjust to stress, as well as hormones like aldosterone to control blood pressure. The adrenal medulla creates adrenaline, among other hormones.
Adrenaline:
Have you ever been running in a race, a game of football, or been in a swim meet? As you approach the finish line or touchdown, you may feel tired, but a sudden boost of energy allows you to momentarily break through the pain barrier, and speed up to score that awesome touchdown or get first place. This sudden boost of energy comes from the release of the hormone adrenaline, secreted by the adrenal gland in times of duress when your body needs an extra boost. For your ancestors, adrenaline came in handy when hunting mammoths or running away from predators. The adrenal gland is one of many glands in the endocrine system that secretes a variety of hormones like adrenaline. These hormones help your body adjust to your environment, like in the example above.
