Hypopituitarism is a disorder in which your body doesn’t make enough pituitary hormones. The pituitary gland is a small, bean-shaped gland at the base of your brain. It is a major controlling part of your body’s endocrine system, a group of glands that produce and secrete hormones to regulate your body’s processes.
In hypopituitarism, the pituitary gland fails to produce, or doesn’t produce enough of, one or more of its hormones. When your pituitary gland doesn’t produce enough hormones, your body functions are affected.
The pituitary gland is responsible for releasing:
Hypopituitarism
Hypopituitarism
What is hypopituitarism?
- growth hormone, which controls bone and tissue growth and maintains the balance of fat and muscle tissue.
- anti-diuretic hormone, which regulates urine production to manage your body’s water balance.
- thyroid-stimulating hormone, which stimulates your thyroid gland to make other hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism.
- luteinizing hormone, which regulates testosterone production in men and estrogen production in women.
- lollicle-stimulating hormone, which works with luteinizing hormone to stimulate sperm production in men and egg development and ovulation in women.
- adrenocoricotropic hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and other hormones to help your body deal with stress.
- prolactin, which regulates the development of female breasts and the production of breast milk.
What causes hypopituitarism?
Hypopituitarism is commonly caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which can compress and damage the pituitary gland as it grows. A pituitary tumor can also compress the optic nerves and cause visual problems.
Other causes of hypopituitarism are:
Other causes of hypopituitarism are:
- head injuries
- brain tumor
- brain surgery
- radiation treatment
- autoimmune inflammation (hypophysitis)
- stroke
- infections of the brain, such as meningitis
- tuberculosis
- uncommon diseases like sarcoidosis and histiocytosis X
Hypopituitarism can also be caused by diseases of the hypothalamus, a portion of the brain located just above the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is responsible for producing hormones that are necessary for normal pituitary function.
In other cases, the cause of hypopituitarism may be unknown.
In other cases, the cause of hypopituitarism may be unknown.
What are the symptoms of hypopituitarism?
The symptoms of hypopituitarism usually develop gradually, though they can sometimes appear suddenly. Because the symptoms tend to progress over time, they are often overlooked for months or years until they become noteworthy.
Possible symptoms:
Possible symptoms:
- fatigue
- low energy
- muscle weakness
- nausea
- constipation
- weight loss or gain
- poor appetite
- abdominal discomfort
- sensitivity to cold or difficulty staying warm
- visual disturbances
- loss of underarm and pubic hair
- joint stiffness
- hoarseness
- facial puffiness
- thirst and excessive urination
- low blood pressure
- headaches
- for men: loss of interest in sexual activity, erectile dysfunction, decrease in facial or body hair
- for women: irregular or stopped menstrual periods, infertility, inability to produce milk for breast-feeding
- for children: stunted growth, short stature, slowed sexual development
If some symptoms of hypopituitarism develop suddenly, such as a severe headache, visual disturbances, confusion, or declines in blood pressure, you should see a doctor immediately. These symptoms could be a sign of sudden bleeding into the pituitary (pituitary apoplexy), a serious condition.
How will my doctor know I have hypopituitarism?
If you have symptoms of hypopituitarism, your doctor may do tests to detect the levels of pituitary hormones in your blood. Your doctor may also want you to see an endocrinologist (a type of specialist physician), or go to a special endocrine clinic or hospital for other tests to check your body’s secretion of hormones.
Your doctor might also recommend:
Your doctor might also recommend:
- Brain imaging to detect a pituitary tumor or abnormality.
- Vision tests to determine if a pituitary tumor has affected your sight.
- X-rays (on children) to measure whether bones are growing normally.
How is hypopituitarism treated?
Your doctor will treat the condition that is the cause of your hypopituitarism first, because doing so may lead to a partial or complete recovery of your pituitary gland’s ability to produce hormones. The most common treatment for pituitary tumors is surgery to remove the tumor. In some instances, radiation therapy may also be used.
If your body does not produce enough of one or more pituitary hormones after treating the underlying condition, your doctor may prescribe a hormone replacement medication to supplement your body’s hormone production.
Some hormone replacement medications:
If your body does not produce enough of one or more pituitary hormones after treating the underlying condition, your doctor may prescribe a hormone replacement medication to supplement your body’s hormone production.
Some hormone replacement medications:
- corticosteroids to replace adrenal hormones missing because of an adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency.
- levothyroxine to replace thyroid hormones missing because of a thyroid-stimulating hormone deficiency.
- sex hormones to replace testosterone (in men), estrogen (in women) or an estrogen/progesterone combination (in women) missing because of a pituitary problem.
- desmopressin (DDAVP) to replace adrenocoricotropic hormone missing because of an anti-diuretic hormone deficiency and to reduce your body’s loss of water through frequent urination.
- growth hormone (somatropin) to promote growth in children and to benefit adults with a growth hormone deficiency.
If you are taking hormone replacement medication, your doctor may want to monitor the levels of hormones in your blood to make sure you’re getting the right amount of replacement hormones. If you become seriously ill or go through a stressful time, your doctor may adjust the dose of replacement hormone you take to imitate the way a normally functioning pituitary gland would adjust its response to these situations. You might also need a dose adjustment if you become pregnant or have a significant change in weight.
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Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
Created: 09/07