What is the Pituitary Gland?

What is the pituitary gland, and what does the pituitary do?

Timestamps

0:00 The pituitary explained 

0:10 What is the pituitary? 

2:53 Pituitary gland functions 

6:22 Bulletproof your immune system *free course! 

Today we’re going to talk about what the pituitary is and what it does. The pituitary is part of the endocrine system. 

The pituitary receives data and adapts various functions of the body to your environment to make sure you stay at a certain constant. This has to do with something called homeostasis, the ability to be stable within your environment. For example, if it’s cold, your body is going to pick up information and adapt to the cold. 

The hypothalamus sends down a plan (various reactions for various situations) to the pituitary. The pituitary acts similarly to a manager in a business, coordinating employees to get certain things done and making sure those things get done. 

The pituitary has a front part called the anterior and a back part called the posterior. 

The anterior part of the pituitary gland is involved with: 

• The thyroid (the release of the thyroid hormone)

• The adrenal (the release of cortisol and other hormones)

• The gonads (the release of hormones from the ovaries or the testicles)

• Prolactin (is involved in lactation)

• The liver (is involved with growth hormone and IGF1)

• Enkephalins and endorphins (are involved with decreasing pain)

The posterior part of the pituitary gland is involved with:

• Oxytocin (is involved with the release of breastmilk and the contraction of the uterus)

• Vasopressin (is involved with the retention of fluid in the kidney)