Hormones Secreted by Pituitary Gland

The anterior pituitary gland produces and secretes the following hormones

• Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH or corticotropin)- Stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol (the “stress hormone”), which has many functions, including regulating metabolism, maintaining blood pressure, regulating blood sugar (sugar) levels, and reducing inflammation.  
• Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)- FSH stimulates sperm production in people designated as male at birth. FSH stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen and plays a role in egg development in people designated as female at birth. This is the so-called gonadotropin.  
• Growth Hormone (GH)- In children, growth hormone stimulates growth. In adults, growth hormone maintains healthy muscles and bones and affects fat distribution. GH also affects your metabolism (how your body converts the food you eat into energy).  
• Luteinizing Hormone (LH)- LH stimulates ovulation in women at birth and the production of testosterone in men. LH is also known as gonadotropin because of its role in regulating the function of the ovaries and testes known as the gonads.  
• Prolactin- Prolactin stimulates the production of breast milk  (lactation) after childbirth. May affect fertility and sexual function in adults.  
• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)- TSH stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism, energy levels, and the nervous system.  

The posterior pituitary stores and releases the following hormones, that are produced by the hypothalamus

• Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH or Vasopressin): This hormone regulates water balance and sodium levels in the body.
• Oxytocin: The hypothalamus produces oxytocin, and the pituitary stores and releases it. In people designated as female at birth, oxytocin sends a signal to the uterus to contract, which helps the labor process during labor. It also triggers the flow of breast milk and affects the bond between parent and child. In people designated as male by birth, oxytocin plays an important role in sperm movement.

The pituitary gland (also called the pituitary gland) is a small pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain below the hypothalamus. It is located in a small chamber below the brain known as the Turkish saddle. It is the part of the endocrine system that produces several important hormones. The pituitary gland also directs other glands in the endocrine system to release hormones.  

Sweat glands are organs that produce one or more substances, such as hormones, digestive juices, sweat, or tears. Hormones are chemicals that coordinate various functions in the body, sending messages through the blood to various organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues. These signals tell your body what to do and when. The pituitary gland is divided into two main parts: the anterior pituitary (anterior lobe) and the posterior pituitary (posterior lobe). The pituitary gland connects to the hypothalamus through a trunk of blood vessels and nerves called the pituitary trunk (also called the pituitary gland).