Hypopituitarism

The pituitary gland is one of the smallest glands in your body — and one of the most powerful. From the base of the skull it controls almost the entire hormone system: growth, metabolism, reproduction, stress response, energy balance. When this gland loses its function — partially or completely — the entire system comes to a standstill. Medicine calls this hypopituitarism: a reduction or failure of pituitary function.

The symptoms are as varied as the tasks of this gland: exhaustion, lack of drive, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, loss of libido, muscle weakness, depressive mood. It feels as if the body is switching to low power — as if the central control unit that drives life is throttling the current.