Major Hormones

Where Hormone Is Produced	Hormone	Function
Adipose (fat) tissue	Leptin	Regulates energy balance by controlling appetite
	Resistin	Blocks the effects of insulin on muscle
Adrenal glands	Aldosterone	Helps regulate salt and water balance by causing the kidneys to retain salt and water and excrete potassium
	Cortisol	Has widespread effects throughout the body Especially has anti-inflammatory action Maintains blood sugar level, blood pressure, and muscle strength Helps control salt and water balance
	Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)	Used in the production of androgens (male sex hormones) and estrogens (female sex hormones) Has effects on bone, mood, and the immune system
	Epinephrine and norepinephrine	Stimulate the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and nervous system
Digestive tract	Cholecystokinin	Controls gallbladder contractions that cause bile to enter the intestine Stimulates release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas
	Ghrelin	Controls growth hormone release from the pituitary gland Causes sensation of hunger
	Glucagon-like peptide	Increases insulin release from the pancreas
	Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide	Controls smooth muscle cell activity, epithelial cell secretions, and blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract
Hypothalamus	Corticotropin-releasing hormone
	Gonadotropin-releasing hormone	Stimulates release of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone
	Growth hormone–releasing hormone	Stimulates release of growth hormone
	Somatostatin	Inhibits release of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and insulin
	Thyrotropin-releasing hormone	Stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin
Kidneys	Erythropoietin	Stimulates red blood cell production
	Renin	Controls sodium, potassium, and water levels that affect blood pressure
Ovaries	Estrogen	Controls the development of female sex characteristics and the reproductive system
	Progesterone	Prepares the lining of the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg and readies the mammary glands to secrete milk
Pancreas	Glucagon	Raises the blood sugar level
	Insulin	Lowers the blood sugar level Affects the processing (metabolism) of sugar, protein, and fat throughout the body
Parathyroid glands	Parathyroid hormone	Controls bone formation, blood calcium level, and the excretion of calcium and phosphorus by the kidneys
Pituitary gland	Corticotropin (also called adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH])	Controls the production and secretion of hormones by the adrenal glands
	Growth hormone	Controls growth and development Promotes protein production
	Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone	Control reproductive functions, including the production of sperm and semen in men and egg maturation and menstrual cycles in women Control male and female sexual characteristics (including hair distribution, muscle formation, skin texture and thickness, pitch of voice, and perhaps even personality traits)
	Oxytocin	Causes muscles of the uterus to contract during childbirth and after delivery and stimulates contractions of milk ducts in the breast, which move milk to the nipple
	Prolactin	Starts and maintains milk production in the ductal glands of the breast (mammary glands)
	Thyroid-stimulating hormone	Stimulates the production and secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland
	Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone)	Causes kidneys to retain water to prevent dehydration and, along with aldosterone, helps control blood pressure
Placenta	Chorionic gonadotropin	Stimulates ovaries to continue to release progesterone during early pregnancy
	Estrogen and progesterone	Keep uterus receptive to fetus and placenta during pregnancy
Testes	Testosterone	Controls the development of male sex characteristics and the reproductive system
Thyroid gland	Calcitonin	Tends to decrease blood calcium levels and helps regulate calcium balance
	Thyroid hormones	Regulate the rate at which the body functions (metabolic rate)

Where Hormone Is Produced

Hormone

Function

Adipose (fat) tissue

Leptin

Regulates energy balance by controlling appetite

Resistin

Blocks the effects of insulin on muscle

Adrenal glands

Aldosterone

Helps regulate salt and water balance by causing the kidneys to retain salt and water and excrete potassium

Cortisol

Has widespread effects throughout the body

Especially has anti-inflammatory action

Maintains blood sugar level, blood pressure, and muscle strength

Helps control salt and water balance

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Used in the production of androgens (male sex hormones) and estrogens (female sex hormones)

Has effects on bone, mood, and the immune system

Epinephrine and norepinephrine

Stimulate the heart, lungs, blood vessels, and nervous system

Digestive tract

Cholecystokinin

Controls gallbladder contractions that cause bile to enter the intestine

Stimulates release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas

Ghrelin

Controls growth hormone release from the pituitary gland

Causes sensation of hunger

Glucagon-like peptide

Increases insulin release from the pancreas

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide

Controls smooth muscle cell activity, epithelial cell secretions, and blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract

Hypothalamus

Corticotropin-releasing hormone

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Stimulates release of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone

Growth hormone–releasing hormone

Stimulates release of growth hormone

Somatostatin

Inhibits release of growth hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and insulin

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone

Stimulates the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone and prolactin

Kidneys

Erythropoietin

Stimulates red blood cell production

Renin

Controls sodium, potassium, and water levels that affect blood pressure

Ovaries

Estrogen

Controls the development of female sex characteristics and the reproductive system

Progesterone

Prepares the lining of the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg and readies the mammary glands to secrete milk

Pancreas

Glucagon

Raises the blood sugar level

Insulin

Lowers the blood sugar level

Affects the processing (metabolism) of sugar, protein, and fat throughout the body

Parathyroid glands

Parathyroid hormone

Controls bone formation, blood calcium level, and the excretion of calcium and phosphorus by the kidneys

Pituitary gland

Corticotropin (also called adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH])

Controls the production and secretion of hormones by the adrenal glands

Growth hormone

Controls growth and development

Promotes protein production

Luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone

Control reproductive functions, including the production of sperm and semen in men and egg maturation and menstrual cycles in women

Control male and female sexual characteristics (including hair distribution, muscle formation, skin texture and thickness, pitch of voice, and perhaps even personality traits)

Oxytocin

Causes muscles of the uterus to contract during childbirth and after delivery and stimulates contractions of milk ducts in the breast, which move milk to the nipple

Prolactin

Starts and maintains milk production in the ductal glands of the breast (mammary glands)

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

Stimulates the production and secretion of hormones by the thyroid gland

Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone)

Causes kidneys to retain water to prevent dehydration and, along with aldosterone, helps control blood pressure

Placenta

Chorionic gonadotropin

Stimulates ovaries to continue to release progesterone during early pregnancy

Estrogen and progesterone

Keep uterus receptive to fetus and placenta during pregnancy

Testes

Testosterone

Controls the development of male sex characteristics and the reproductive system

Thyroid gland

Calcitonin

Tends to decrease blood calcium levels and helps regulate calcium balance

Thyroid hormones

Regulate the rate at which the body functions (metabolic rate)

In these topics

Endocrine Function