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Endocrine Axes

Meaning

Endocrine Axes are highly sophisticated, interconnected feedback loops involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and a peripheral endocrine gland, which together regulate the synthesis and secretion of specific hormones throughout the body. The most prominent examples include the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis, and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid (HPT) axis. These axes are the master regulators of homeostasis, governing stress response, reproduction, metabolism, and growth. Clinical optimization of hormonal health fundamentally relies on understanding and modulating the function of these axes.