Consult Top Endocrinologist Online

The human body is a complex biological machine made up of cells. The cells are organized into tissues, tissues form organs, organs constitute the organ systems and finally the synchronization of various organ systems forms the body which can function normally. The internal environment of the body is very different than the external environment and also the different parts of the body have different environments. For the normal functioning of the body, the maintenance and balance of this internal environment with respect to changes in the external environment is very essential. This process is known as homeostasis. 

The endocrine system is one of the two major regulatory systems of the body that helps to achieve homeostasis by the release of chemical substances called hormones. These act on their target cells to regulate the blood concentrations of nutrient molecules, salt and other electrolytes, water, etc. Hormones also play a very important role in stress adaptation and in controlling growth and reproduction.

The hormones are usually secreted by glands called endocrine glands. These glands are known as endocrine because they are ductless and release hormones directly in the bloodstream in response to signals. The hormones travel through blood, reach the site of action and carry out the necessary action to achieve the desired result. Since majority of the hormones are released by endocrine glands, this system is called the endocrine system. The study of this system with the purpose of diagnosis and treatment related to its abnormal function is called endocrinology and the doctor who specializes in this branch is called endocrinologist. Growing technical world along with the digital platforms makes things easier for everyone and now you can opt for online consultation with endocrinologist to understand your health issues and get guidance related to required treatment. 

Majority of the hormones are secreted from one of the seven endocrine glands. These are:
  • The pituitary
  • The thyroid
  • The parathyroid
  • The testes 
  • The ovary
  • The adrenal also called suprarenal 
  • The endocrine pancreas

In addition, other tissues that are not classified as part of the endocrine system but secrete hormones are:

  • The central nervous system particularly the hypothalamus
  • The gastrointestinal tract
  • The liver
  • The kidneys

In some cases, particularly with certain tumors (neoplasms), hormones that are normally thought to be made by the endocrine tissues are made by non-endocrine tissues. The first instance of this was observed in lung cancer. The hormone AVP (Arginine Vasopressin) also called the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), is normally released by the hypothalamus. But the cancerous lung tissues secrete this hormone. Sometimes the hormones secreted by these neoplasms are in quantities that are not significant and do not have any clinical consequences. But at other times, the quantities might be high enough to elicit a response. The clinical syndromes that result from the secretion of hormones by tumors are called paraneoplastic syndromes. 

Although the chemical nature of hormones can be diverse, the majority of the hormones fall into 3 groups. These are:

  1. Peptide hormones (peptides are small fragments of proteins)
  2. Amino-acid derived hormones (amino acids are building blocks of peptides and ultimately proteins)
  3. Steroid hormones (those derived from cholesterol)

The major hormones in each group are:

Peptide hormones:

These form the largest group of hormones. The major ones are:

  • ACTH (Adrenocorticotrophic hormone)
  • ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide)
  • Calcitonin
  • CCK (cholecystokinin)
  • CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone)
  • FSH (follicle stimulating hormone
  • Glucagon
  • GnRH (gonadotropin releasing hormone)
  • GHRH (growth hormone releasing hormone)
  • Inhibin
  • Insulin
  • IGFs (insulin-like growth factors )
  • LH (liuteinizing hormone)
  • Oxytocin
  • PTH (parathyroid hormone)
  • PRL (prolactin)
  • Secretin 
  • Somatostatin
  • TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)
  • TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone)
  • VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide)

Amino acid derived hormones:

These include:

  • Dopamine
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline)
  • Norepinephrine (noradrenaline)
  • Serotonin (5-HT)
  • Thyroxine (T4)
  • Triiodothyronine (T3)

Steroid hormones:

These are very important as all the hormones that are related to reproduction and development of puberty are steroid hormones. The major steroid hormones are:

  • Aldosterone
  • Cortisol
  • Estradiol
  • Progesterone
  • Testosterone
The pituitary gland:
The pituitary gland is one of the most important glands of the body. It is divided into three parts: the anterior pituitary, the posterior pituitary and pars intermedia. The anterior and the posterior pituitary secrete hormones. 

Six major peptide hormones and several other hormones are secreted by the anterior pituitary and two major peptide hormones are secreted by the posterior pituitary. These are:

  • Growth hormone helps is the growth of the entire body by its role in  protein formation, cell multiplication and differentiation
  • Adrenocorticotropin regulates the secretion of some of the adrenocortical hormones that have role in metabolism of glucose, fats and proteins
  • Thyroid stimulating hormone (thyrotropin) regulates the rate of secretion of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) hormones which control the rates of intracellular chemical reactions of the body.
  • Prolactin promotes mammary gland development and milk production
  • Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) also called arginine vasopressin (AVP) controls the rate of water excretion in urine thus maintaining the concentration of water in body fluids
  • FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) control growth of the ovaries and the testes. These two hormones are called gonadotropic hormones.
  • Oxytocin is the hormone of parturition that is it helps in the delivery of baby at the end of the gestation period. Also it helps express milk from the glands of the breast to the nipples during suckling.
Hypothalamus:
The hypothalamus controls the secretions of the pituitary gland. The pituitary and the hypothalamus work in synchronization to control the release of hormones from the pituitary gland to achieve the desired result in the body. The hypothalamus receive signals from the other parts of the nervous system keeping it informed of the changes in internal milieu or changes in person’s thoughts, mood or emotions. The hypothalamus then releases appropriate hormones that control the secretion from the pituitary and thus elicits an appropriate response. The hormones that are released from the hypothalamus that control secretion of the anterior pituitary gland are:

  • Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates the secretion of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) by throtropes by anterior pituitary gland
  • Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates secretion of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luitenizing hormone) by gonadotropes in the anterior pituitary
  • Corticotropin-releasing hormone stimulates secretion of ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic hormone) from the corticotropes in the anterior pituitary
  • Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) stimulates secretion of growth hormone by somatotropes in the anterior pituitary
  • Prolactin-inhibiting hormone (PIH) inhibits synthesis and secretion by lactotropes in the anterior pituitary
Thyroid gland:
The thyroid gland is one of the largest endocrine glands and secrete three hormones. These are:

  1. Thyroxine (T4)
  2. Triiodothyronine (T3)
  3. Calcitonin
T3 and T4 hormones are involved in maintaining the basal metabolic rate of the body. Complete lack of these hormones cause the metabolic rate to fall by 40 to 50% and excess production causes to increase the metabolic rate by 60 to 100%. Calcitonin on the other hand is involved in calcium metabolism.

The precursor for thyroxine and triiodothyronine is iodine and the lack of iodine is the cause of major form of hyposecretion of these hormones. As these hormones are essential for the normal brain development in children, decreased secretion can cause severe mental deficiencies in children. The main reason for the addition of iodine to common table salt and thus leading to the consumption of iodised salt is to make iodine available in sufficient quantities for the production of thyroid hormones. 

The diminished or excess secretion of these hormones lead to respectively hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. As these hormones are central to the maintenance of metabolic status of the body, changes in their normal amounts can lead to many health consequences.

Hyperthyroidism:
The main causes of hyperthyroidism are:

  1. Toxic goiter
  2. Thyrotoxicosis
  3. Graves’ disease
Studies have shown that in hyperthyroidism, the levels of thyroid hormones increase to 5 to 15 times the normal secretion. The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease. Thyroid adenoma can also cause hyperthyroidism. The most common symptoms are:

  • A high state of excitability
  • Intolerance to heat
  • Increased sweating
  • Mild to extreme weight loss
  • Varying degrees of diarrhea
  • Muscle weakness
  • Nervousness or other psychic disorders
  • Extreme fatigue but inability to sleep
  • Hand tremor
  • Exophthalmos (protrusion of eyeballs)

Hypothyroidism:

The effects of hypothyroidism are opposite to that of hyperthyroidism barring some symptoms that are peculiar in hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism, like hyperthyroidism, is often caused by autoimmunity against the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s disease). Goiter is a condition where the thyroid gland increases in size. This is usually caused by the absence of iodine. The mechanism is that in the absence of iodine, both T3 and T4 are not produced and hence there is no inhibition to the production of TSH from the anterior pituitary. This in turn causes excessive production of thyroglobulin in the colloid follicle but in the absence of iodine, both T3 and T4 are not produced. This may cause the thyroid gland to increase 10 to 20 times in size than the normal. The common symptoms of hypothyroidism are:

  • Fatigue and extreme somnolence with persons sleeping up to 12 to 14 hours a day
  • Slowed heart rate
  • Extreme muscular sluggishness
  • Decreased cardiac output and blood volume
  • Increased body weight
  • Constipation
  • Mental sluggishness
  • Depressed growth of hair and scaliness of the skin
  • Development of a frog-like husky voice
  • In severe cases, development of edematous appearance called myxedema
Adrenal (suprarenal) glands:
There are two adrenal glands, each located on the upper side of the kidney. Because of their anatomic location, they are also called suprarenal glands. The two major parts of the adrenal glands are adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Both secrete different types of hormones. The adrenal medulla secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline whereas adrenal cortex secrete entirely different hormones called corticosteroids. The latter use cholesterol as the precursor molecule. The corticosteroids are differentiated into mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids. The mineralocorticoids affect the balance of electrolytes like sodium and potassium whereas glucocorticoids are important in the regulation of glucose. 

Aldosterone is the major mineralocorticoid secreted and cortisol that is a glucocorticoid can also exert mineralocorticoid activity. The main function of aldosterone is to excrete potassium in the urine while conserving sodium. 

Cortisol is the major glucocorticoid and exerts nearly 95% of the glucocorticoid activity. The major functions of cortisol are:

  • Gluconeogenesis, a process which stimulates the formation of glucose from non-sugar precursors.
  • Decreased utilization of glucose by cells
  • Reduction of protein stores from all the cells of the body except the liver.
  • Increases liver and plasma proteins
  • The most important function is to resist stress and inflammation.

The types of stress that causes release of cortisol are:

  • trauma
  • infection
  • intense heat or cold
  • surgery
  • Debilitating diseases, etc.
The response to stress is called the neuroendocrine response to stress (NERS). Without cortisol, a person can die of stress. 

Pancreas:
Pancreas is one of the most important organs that secrete hormones like insulin, glucagon and somatostatin. Small amounts of amylin is also secreted along with insulin but its role is not well understood. 

The major function of insulin is to regulate blood glucose concentrations. It does this by affecting many functions. The major ones are:

  • promotes muscle glucose uptake and metabolism
  • converts excess glucose into glycogen and stores it in the liver
  • promotes fatty acid synthesis
  • promotes protein synthesis and storage
  • work synergistically with growth hormone to promote growth
Glucagon is an antagonistic hormone to the insulin. The major functions of glucagon are:
  • breakdown of liver glycogen
  • increase in gluconeogenesis
Glucagon in high concentrations 
  • enhances the strength of the heart
  • increases blood flow to some tissues like kidneys
  • enhances bile secretion
  • inhibits gastric acid secretion
Somatostatin inhibits glucagon and insulin secretion. 

Parathyroid gland:
Parathyroid gland secretes parathyroid hormone which regulates calcium and phosphate concentrations by regulating intestinal reabsorption, renal excretion, and exchange between the extracellular fluid and bone of these ions. Excess activity of the parathyroid gland causes rapid release of calcium salts from the bones that causes hypercalcemia and hypofunction causes hypocalcemia, often resulting in tetany.

Testes:
One of the main functions of the testes is the formation of sperms that helps in the process of reproduction. Testes produce the hormone testosterone that is the main male hormone and is responsible for spermatogenesis (the process of formation of sperms). The various steps in which the different hormones work in synchronization for spermatogenesis are:

  • testosterone is essential for the growth and division of testicular germinal cells forming the first stage in the formation of sperm
  • LH (Luteinizing hormone) stimulates the Leydig cells to secrete testosterone
  • FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) causes the spermatids to transform into sperm
  • Estrogens formed from testosterone also help in the formation of sperms
  • Growth hormone is essential for the normal growth and functioning of the testes
Testosterone is also responsible for the formation of secondary male sexual characteristics like increases in bone and muscle mass and development of body hair.

Ovary:
The ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These are secreted in response to the hormones FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (liutenizing hormone) secreted by the anterior pituitary gland. Estradiol is the most important estrogen and progesterone is the most important progestin. Estrogen is responsible for the formation of secondary sexual characteristics in females and progesterone is responsible for the preparation of uterus for pregnancy and breasts for lactation.

The other important hormone that is secreted is melatonin and is secreted by the pineal gland. It is located near the center of the brain. It has an important role in maintaining the sleep-wake cycles in the human body.

Conditions treated by Endocrinologists
Following conditions are treated by an Endocrinologist specialist;
  • Diabetes
  • Osteoporosis
  • Menopause
  • Metabolic disorders
  • Thyroid diseases
  • Extreme or insufficient hormone production
  • Some cancers
  • Short stature
  • Infertility
You can opt for online consultation with Endocrinologist to understand what is the exact issue and discuss further treatment for the same. 

Diseases: 
Genetic or environmental factors are the causes for hormone imbalance. Food containers which are plastic based are very harmful as it contains pesticides, lead, and phthalates, which can sometimes lead to hormonal problems.

Endocrine disorders are bifurcated as below:
  • An endocrine gland that produces less hormones is known as hyposecretion
  • A gland that produces extreme hormones is known as hypersecretion.
  • At times, Tumors which might be malignant, or cancerous or may be benign, or non-cancerous develop in the endocrine glands. 
What happens when there is Hormonal imbalance in Glands?
When a gland secretes less or more hormones, one can experience below symptoms:
Adrenal Gland
  • Addison’s disease, weight loss, Mineralocorticoid deficiency, loss of energy, and anemia are caused due to hyposecretion.
  • Hypersecretion gives rise to sweating, over-nervousness, raised blood pressure, and Cushing’s disease 
Pancreas
  • Extreme insulin can cause low blood glucose which is a result of Hypersecretion
  • Diabetes can be caused by Hyposecretion
Parathyroid Gland
  • Conditions like brittle bones as well as stones in the urinary system arise due to Hypersecretion
  • Tetany or involuntary muscle contractions are caused by Hyposecretion 
Thyroid Gland
  • When the thyroid gland produces extreme hormone thyroxine, it leads to condition called Hyperthyroidism. Due to this, one may experience weight loss and irregular heartbeats. Hyperthyroidism most often stems from Graves disease. Extreme thyroid hormone is produced in the body because of this. 
  • Hypothyroidism arises when the thyroid gland produce very less hormones. Weight gain, tiredness, depression, abnormal bone development, developmental delay, and stunted growth are caused due to Hypothyroidism.
Pituitary Gland
  • One may experience gigantism, or excessive growth which is a result due to Hypersecretion.
  • Hyposecretion arise due to slow bone growth and short stature
Thymus Gland
  • Hypersecretion may arise in an autoimmune disease.
  • One may experience weakened immune system, where the body is unable to fight infection and easily succumbs to viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens during Hyposecretion.


  • Why choose online doctor consultation?
By opting for an online consultation with Endocrinologists, the patients, from the comfort of their homes, can choose from a variety of doctors selected from the best available in India. In this way, the patient can at least get a fair amount of idea related to the problem and can visit a nearby doctor if advised by the doctor consulting online or meet the same doctor if that is viable. MediFlam has a panel of some of the best Endocrinologists in India. We at MediFlam make sure that our platform provides a hassle-free experience to the patient as well as the doctor at the best cost possible. Our doctors work in close conjunction with the patients to provide them a quick diagnosis, treatment, and regular follow-ups. 
 Read more..
Select Your Convenient Date & Time:

Finding Best Doctors

Frequently asked questions about Endocrinologist

What is the role of Endocrinologist?

The role of Endocrinologists is to treat people suffering from hormonal imbalances, or certain types of cancers. They perform the treatment to restore the normal balance of hormones in a patient's body.

What does an Endocrinologist do on the first visit or consultation?

During the first visit, the doctor generally ask the patient about the symptoms he/she is facing and tries to evaluate the cause of the condition. 

Might cover:

  • family history of hormonal problems
  • current medications
  • If suffering from any allergies
  • dietary habits
What are some of the common endocrine disorders?

An Endocrinologist doctor treats below disorders:

  • Hyperthyroidism: This condition arises due to extreme hormone secretion in the thyroid gland. The symptoms one faces include weight loss, heart problems, anxiety, etc.
  • Hypothyroidism: This happens due to less hormones secretion by the thyroid gland. Weight gain, constipation, dry skin, fatigue, etc can be experienced during this condition. 
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome: Ovulation process is been disturbed due to this syndrome. This results in abnormal growth of hair, missed periods, and infertility 
  • Acromegaly: Excess of growth hormones in pituitary gland makes your bones grow bigger. It makes your hands and feet look huge compared to the rest of your body.
  • Adrenal insufficiency: Due to less hormone secretion by the adrenal gland, one may experience fatigue, weakness and weight loss over time.
  • Cushing's disease: If the face becomes puffy and round like moon, it is due to extreme secretion of hormones by the adrenal glands.
  • Hypopituitarism: This condition disturbs the functioning of thyroid and adrenal glands along with organs such as the ovaries and testes.
  • Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN): This causes tumors in several endocrine glands.
  • Precocious puberty: When reproductive glands don’t work properly, some children start puberty abnormally early, around 8 in girls and 9 in boys.


What are the symptoms of endocrine disorders?

Endocrine disorder symptoms varies a lot and it depends on the particular gland involved. But mostly patient suffering from endocrine condition experience symptoms of fatigue and weakness. Weight change, blood glucose level fluctuations, abnormal cholesterol levels, mood changes, etc. are some of the other symptoms which the patient might experience.

Can endocrinologist do a surgery?

The surgical treatment of endocrine diseases is referred to as Endocrine surgery. Endocrinologists and endocrine surgeons mostly work together to provide best care to the patients who are suffering from endocrine disorders.

How often do I consult a doctor for Diabetes?

You need to consult a doctor every 3 to 4 months, if you are using insulin shots. But if you are taking pills or managing diabetes through diet, then need to consult a doctor every 4 to 6 months. 

Can endocrinologist help treat excessive weight gain?

Yes, an endocrinologist specialist can help one in treating excessive weight gain. They can help in diagnosing if a hormonal condition is the underlying cause of weight gain. Decreasing estrogen, thyroid imbalance, adrenal disorders, hormonal resistance, and many other hormonal imbalances can lead to weight gain.

Is MediFlam good for online Endocrinologist consultation?

Mediflam has a stringent process of checking the qualifications of doctors that are taken on the platform so that the patients get access to the best qualified doctors to get the best possible diagnosis. Mediflam has a panel of some of the best Endocrinologists in India. We at MediFlam make sure that our platform provides hassle free experience to the patient as well as the doctor at the best cost possible. Our doctors work in close conjunction with the patients to provide them quick diagnosis, treatment and regular follow-ups. 

Brief information about Endocrinologist
The medical science that deals with diagnosing and treating the endocrine system, its disorders, and their hormones is called Endocrinology. Hormones are produced and secreted by Endocrine glands which are part of endocrine system. Hormones control the activities such as growth, development, puberty, level of alertness, sugar regulation and appetite, bone growth, etc. The doctor specializing in treating the conditions related to hormones is called an Endocrinologist.

What does an endocrinologist do?
An endocrinologist specialist is the one who treats people suffering from hormonal imbalances, or certain types of cancers. They perform the treatment to restore the normal balance of hormones in a patient's body. In this growing 

For what symptoms should I consult an endocrinologist?
Endocrine disorder symptoms hugely vary and it depends on the particular gland involved in it. But mostly patient suffering from endocrine condition has symptoms of fatigue and weakness. One can consult the doctor if they are suffering from mentioned symptoms.

What diseases (disorders) does an endocrinologist treat?
An Endocrinologist doctor treats below:

  • Hyperthyroidism: This condition arises due to extreme hormone secretion in the thyroid gland. The symptoms one faces include weight loss, heart problems, anxiety, etc.
  • Hypothyroidism: This happens due to less hormones secretion by the thyroid gland. Weight gain, constipation, dry skin, fatigue, etc can be experienced during this condition. 
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome: Ovulation process is been disturbed due to this syndrome. This results in abnormal growth of hair, missed periods, and infertility 
  • Acromegaly: Excess of growth hormones in pituitary gland makes your bones grow bigger. It makes your hands and feet look huge compared to the rest of your body.
  • Adrenal insufficiency: Due to less hormone secretion by the adrenal gland, one may experience fatigue, weakness and weight loss over time.
  • Cushing's disease: If the face becomes puffy and round like moon, it is due to extreme secretion of hormones by the adrenal glands.
  • Hypopituitarism: This condition disturbs the functioning of thyroid and adrenal glands along with organs such as the ovaries and testes.
  • Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN): This causes tumors in several endocrine glands.
  • Precocious puberty: When reproductive glands don’t work properly, some children start puberty abnormally early, around 8 in girls and 9 in boys.

Should I consult an endocrinologist for thyroid issues?
Yes, one can opt for online consultation with Endocrinologist for any thyroid issues they are dealing with. They can treat hormone problems like thyroid disease and others. Thyroid hormones are responsible for the maintaining the normal metabolic state of the human body. Any imbalance in that can produce symptoms that interfere with the normal activities. 

What does an endocrinologist do in the first consultation?
Hormone levels are important for our body. Changes in hormone level can lead to some of the disorders. An Endocrinologist will discuss about the symptoms and causes, the person is suffering from. He/she will then prescribe some tests or procedures to check the levels of hormones and suggest a suitable treatment plan. Type of treatment will depend on the condition and its symptoms the person is suffering from. 

Can an endocrinologist help treat excessive weight gain?
Yes, an endocrinologist specialist can help one in treating excessive weight gain. They can help in diagnosing if a hormonal condition is the underlying cause of weight gain. Decreasing estrogen, thyroid imbalance, adrenal disorders, hormonal resistance, and many other hormonal imbalances can lead to weight gain.

What are the causes of Diabetes?
  • Prediabetes is said to be when the blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough for your doctor to diagnose diabetes. 
  • Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system. 
  • Type 2 diabetes is caused mostly due to Family history. 
The other causes are:
Pancreatectomy 

  • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It is caused due to obesity-linked insulin resistance 
  • Cushing’s syndrome – Due to extreme cortisol hormone, blood glucose levels increases which can cause diabetes.
  • Glucagonoma – Happens due to lack of equilibrium between levels of glucagon and insulin productions.
  • Steroid induced diabetes is very rare and happens due to constant use of glucocorticoid therapy.
Can Diabetes be cured?
Diabetes is not completely curable but can go into remission. A person can balance or manage it with proper medication and change in the lifestyle.

Does treatment of Diabetes have any side effects?
Yes, below side effects may occur;

  • Hypoglycemia, which is the most common side effect of insulin treatment may occur.
  • Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions)
  • Hypokalemia (low blood potassium) 
  • Hepatic (liver) impairment may lower the insulin requirement.
  • Renal (kidney) dysfunction may lessen the insulin requirement.
  • Emotional disturbance, Illness, or other stress may alter the insulin requirement.
 Read more..
Latest from the Medical Industry
Sign up for treatment knowledge base

Contact Us

Mediflam Pvt. Ltd.

206, Siddhraj Zori, Next to Essar petrol pump, Sargasan, Gandhinagar: 382421. Gujarat, India.

Customer Care
Call Us Now  +91 82006 37521   Email Us  [email protected]

QUICK LINKS

KEEP IN TOUCH

Other Concerns

Consult Online

Wellness

Top Treatments

Top Hospitals

Privacy Policy | Terms & Condition | Terms of Use
Copyright © 2021 Mediflam Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.