Endocrinology Overview

The small glands in our bodies regulate the whole being. They emit growth hormone so that we transform from infants to adults. They control the hormones, so difficult to manage in youth, so joyful when babies are born in adulthood. The thyroid and adrenal glands provide energy and control our body types. The glands include the pituitary, ovaries and testes, thyroid, and adrenals.

If these glands fail to work properly, then the body becomes ill. The impact could affect the heart, kidneys, and brain. The most common endocrinology disease originates in the pancreas: diabetes. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States. With the high obesity rates, combined with an aging population, diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. Many more go undiagnosed because the typical symptoms of the disease can take 7 to 10 years to appear.

Metabolism is often discussed, rarely understood. This gauge on your body controls how you retrieve energy from food.

The Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism brings together physicians, researchers and a multidisciplinary team to treat the disorders of the very organs designed to regulate the health of the body.