Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

High levels of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) in your body could mean that your brain is sending out more signals to your adrenal glands to produce cortisol, the stress hormone. This could be due to a variety of reasons. For instance, it could be a sign of a condition like Cushing's syndrome, where your body produces too much cortisol, often due to a tumor in the pituitary gland. Alternatively, it could be a result of certain medications, such as corticosteroids or ACTH injections, which can artificially increase your ACTH levels. It could also be due to chronic stress or anxiety, which can cause your brain to send out more ACTH signals. It's important to note that these are just potential causes, and high ACTH levels could be due to other factors as well.

Symptoms of high levels of ACTH could include weight gain, particularly around the abdomen and face, thinning skin that bruises easily, muscle weakness, fatigue, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and in women, irregular or absent menstrual periods.

Low levels of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) could mean that your body isn't producing enough of this important hormone, which can disrupt your body's ability to handle stress and maintain normal blood pressure. This could be due to a problem with your pituitary gland, which is responsible for making ACTH, or your adrenal glands, which are supposed to respond to ACTH by making cortisol. Certain conditions, like Addison's disease, can cause low ACTH levels. Additionally, some medications, like corticosteroids, can also lower your ACTH levels. It's important to note that low ACTH levels could be a sign of a more serious underlying health issue.

Symptoms of low levels of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone may include fatigue, low blood pressure, weight loss, weakness, and abdominal pain.