Pituitary Gland

The pituitary gland sits at the base of the brain, where it receives signals from the brain, and secretes hormones that regulate the production of various other hormones and secretions 1. This gland plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the body, and its dysfunction has been linked to a wide range of symptoms and diseases.

Removing the pituitary gland and providing thyroid hormone, researchers found that animals lacking the pituitary lived much longer than intact animals, and maintained a high metabolic rate 1. This suggests that the pituitary gland may play a role in regulating aging and metabolic processes. Furthermore, extracts of pituitary glands have been found to suppress tissue oxygen consumption and accelerate degenerative changes of aging 1.

Studies have also shown that the pituitary gland has a significant impact on the health of the eyes, particularly in relation to light damage 2. Researchers have found that hypophysectomy (the removal of the pituitary gland) can protect photoreceptors against light damage, and that pituitary gland homogenates and transplants can also have a protective effect 2.

The pituitary gland has also been linked to a wide range of other symptoms and diseases, including heart murmur, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, hysteria, infertility, inflammatory and "fibrous" disease, inner ear dizziness, insomnia, irritability, low blood pressure, lethargy and clumsiness, menopause, mittelschmerz, migraine, nymphomania, loss of libido, optic neuritis, panic, weepiness, night-worry, palpitations or paroxysmal tachycardia, paraesthesias, porphyria, sciatica, skin disorders, stroke symptoms, sweat gland dysfunction, toxemia of pregnancy, urinary frequency, varicose veins, and vascular abnormalities 2.