A Brief Description Of Aldosterone

The bodys adrenal gland is responsible for the secernment of the steroid hormone aldosterone. The latters main function is to regulate and balance water and flavour in the human system (otherwise known as the electrolyte metabolism of the body). As an extremely potent hormone, aldosterone promotes sodium retention and enhances potassium excretion in the system. The hormone also helps regulate blood pressure and physical fluids hence if the aldosterone levels are low or too laid-back, symptoms can result.Aldosterone directly acts on the kidneys tubules and controls their reabsorption of much sodium and water from the urine. Secretion of potassium in the tubule replaces the sodium, which is then reabsorbed. Another function of the hormone is to manoeuvre on a persons central sick system to influence the development of a persons appetite for season and their thirst. Aldosterone secretion is the result of two different bodily mechanisms. It is hypothesized that if sodium concent rates in the system are severely limited, it whitethorn cause increased rates of aldosterone.Another theory is that cut back blood flow to the kidney engages it to release the enzyme rennin which then converts inactive globulin in the blood. new(prenominal) than these, studies showed that the hormone may have other target cells than originally remarked on. The editors of the Kidney International Journal in 2000 (Farman and Verrey) commented on Dr. Haim Gartys notification that in that respect is Aldosterone action in non-epithelial cells. Hence it is seen that aside from the kidneys, the hormone is also linked to the central nervous and cardiovascular systems as well as various membrane lipids.Amplified levels of aldosterone secretion often cause salt retention which in turn results in edema. Extremely high levels of the hormone can result to high blood pressure, muscle cramps and over-all fatigue. On the other hand, low levels may be an indicator of diabetes. It is proven that the variation of the hormone levels are influenced by the persons sex as well as the tally of sodium consumed in his or her daily diet. Pregnancy may lead to higher levels of aldosterone in women. Other symptoms of higher than normal levels of aldosterone may also result to primary or secondary hyperaldosteronism.Primary hyperaldosteronism is considered as a rare syndrome caused by an abnormality in the adrenal gland. More often than not, the gland is bear on by a benign tumor and this often transpires between t hags of 30 and 50 days old. Secondary hyperaldosteronism is generally related to high blood pressure and other disorders such as cardiac failure, cirrhosis of the liver and nephritic syndrome. Various mechanisms affect the disease and causes the imbalance of the hormones levels in the human system.Another extremely rare disease linked to aldosterone is the Barrter syndrome which also affects the kidneys. Patients diagnosed with the Barrter Syndrome experiences loss of p otassium and an increase in aldosterone. This results to potassium wasting where the kidneys remove far too much necessary potassium from the body. Incidentally, there are tests to check the aldosterone levels in the body. It is often don concurrently with other blood tests or seditious tests to determine over or under production of the hormone.