About Adrenal Diseases
Adrenal diseases can cause the adrenal glands to produce too much or not enough hormones, including sex hormones and cortisol. These adrenal diseases can cause a variety of symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening. Destruction of the adrenal gland due to an auto-immune response is one cause of adrenal disease. Cancer, infection or other conditions may also lead to adrenal diseases.
Other causes include:
- The use of corticosteroids as a treatment (such as prednisone). This treatment method can cause a slowdown in production of natural corticosteroids by the adrenal glands, resulting in adrenal disease symptoms.
- Certain drugs used to treat fungal infections may block production of corticosteroids in the adrenal glands.
Adrenal Disease Symptoms
Diseases that cause an overproduction of hormones from the adrenal glands have a variety of symptoms, including:
- Exaggerated male characteristics in both men and women, such as increased facial and body hair, baldness, acne, deeper voice and increased masculinity
- High blood pressure
- Symptoms associated with low levels of potassium (i.e., weakness, muscle aches, spasms and possible paralysis)
- Upper body obesity
- Round face
- Increased fat around the neck
- Thinning of the arms and legs
- Fragile and thinning skin
- Stretch marks on the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, arms and breasts
- Bone and muscle weakness
- Severe fatigue
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
- Irritability and anxiety
- Excess hair growth in women
- Irregular or stopped menstrual cycles in women
- Reduced male sex drive
- Reduced male fertility
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