What is Epinephrine?

Your body naturally produces it during times of stress. The hormone is also necessary for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system — it makes the heart beat more strongly, and diverts blood to tissues during times of stress.

Strong emotions such as fear or anger cause epinephrine to be released into the bloodstream, which causes an increase in heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure, and sugar metabolism.  This reaction, known as the “Flight or Fight Response” prepares the body for strenuous activity.

When the hormone enters the bloodstream, the following will increase:

• Heart rate
• Cardiac output
• Blood pressure
• Sugar metabolism

The above responses help to prepare your body for a “fight or flight” reaction, making you ready for rapid, strenuous activity.

The following health conditions are linked to epinephrine levels:

• Addison’s disease is a severe or total deficiency of the hormones made by the adrenal glands, including epinephrine, cortisol, and aldosterone.
• Adrenal tumors, some called pheochromocytoma, can cause too much adrenal hormones to be produced. In the case of pheochromocytoma, the hormones produced are epinephrine and noradrenaline.

This over-secretion of epinephrine can lead to a dangerous and severe elevation in blood pressure.

In different types of adrenal tumors, other hormones are over-produced, including cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens.

References:

• What is Adrenaline? (https://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/hormones/adrenaline)
• What is Adrenaline? (http://www.yourhormones.info/Hormones/Adrenaline.aspx)

Disclaimer:

The information on healthmatters.io is NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice.