“May all be happy, may all be healed, may all be at peace and may no one ever suffer."
The adrenal glands are a pair of small, triangular-shaped organs located on top of the kidneys in the human body. They are part of the endocrine system, which is responsible for producing hormones that regulate various bodily functions.
The adrenal glands are divided into two parts: the outer layer, called the adrenal cortex, and the inner layer, called the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex produces hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens, which regulate metabolism, blood pressure, and the body's response to stress. The adrenal medulla produces adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and noradrenaline (also known as norepinephrine), which are involved in the body's fight or flight response to stress.
The adrenal glands play a crucial role in the body's ability to respond to stress and maintain homeostasis, or a stable internal environment. Dysfunction of the adrenal glands can result in various disorders, such as Addison's disease (when the adrenal cortex does not produce enough hormones) or pheochromocytoma (a rare tumor of the adrenal medulla that causes excessive production of adrenaline and noradrenaline).