What Is Autoimmune Adrenal Insufficiency?
Addison's disease is a medical condition in which the adrenal glands stop making hormones that are important for certain bodily functions. Addison's disease is characterized by weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low
blood pressure, and sometimes darkening of the skin in both exposed and non-exposed parts of the body. Autoimmune
adrenal insufficiency is the most common type of this condition.
Addison's disease affected the late President John F. Kennedy, and currently affects about 1 in 100,000 people.
Understanding the Adrenal Glands
There are two adrenal glands, one above each kidney in the back of the upper abdomen. The adrenal glands are also called the suprarenal glands. The inside layer of the adrenal gland is called the adrenal medulla. The adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline). The outside layer is called the adrenal cortex. The cells in the adrenal cortex make important hormones that help the body function properly. The two hormones are aldosterone and cortisol.
Aldosterone
Aldosterone belongs to a class of hormones called mineralocorticoids, also produced by the adrenal glands. Aldosterone helps maintain blood pressure and water and salt balance in the body by helping the kidney retain sodium and excrete potassium. When aldosterone production falls too low, the kidneys are not able to regulate salt and water balance, causing blood volume and blood pressure to drop.
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