Deficiencies in any of the hormones mentioned above can cause illness, which vary in gravity. Starting with the posterior lobe, a deficiency of ADH will increase our thirst and urination. A lack of prolactin will quite predictably lead to an inability to lactate, which to this day cannot be treated. TSH deficiency has symptoms similar to those from a compromised thyroid gland, which includes fatigue, memory loss, and bodily weakness. A lack of LH or FSH will result in a decrease in libido, irregular menses, erectile dysfunction, and mood changes. ACTH deficiency will cause nausea, body aches, poor appetite, and even low blood sugar and pressure. Lastly, deficiency growth hormone will lower muscle mass and bone density, which has long term ramifications on the quality of our lives.

An overproduction of hormone has its own consequences. Too much growth hormone can lead to gigantism and acromegaly, or too much growth of bones and soft tissues leading to heart issues and sleep apnea. Too much TSH will result in shakiness, irritability, and high blood pressure. Too much prolactin will cause inappropriate expression of breast milk that can occur in women or men, and a weakening of bones. Excess ACTH will cause weight gain among brittle bones and mood instability. Lastly, excess FSH and LH are linked to infertility and irregular menstruation.

The most common type of pituitary gland disorder, however, are tumors. The grand majority of pituitary tumors are benign, or just a noncancerous swelling in the gland that may not cause any symptoms and may never be symptomatic. Unlike many types of tumors, most people afflicted with pituitary tumors have no prior family history of issues with the pituitary gland and is not usually genetically inherited. One of these exceptions is multiple endocrine neoplasia (or MEN) which is a set of inherited disorders that lead the body’s endocrine glands, including the pituitary gland, to overexpress hormones. But pituitary tumors, specifically, still remain by and large benign.

Tumors on the Pituitary GlandVarious types of pituitary tumors exist. In general, people with a pituitary gland tumor will experience a series of telltale symptoms. Most will have vision problems, headaches, menstrual changes, infertility, mood changes, fatigue, and even Cushing’s syndrome – which has its own set of symptoms including, but not limited to, high blood pressure and weight gain secondary to too much ACTH release.

The most common type of pituitary tumor is called a “non-functioning” tumor. The name derives from its inability to make hormones. These patients will have issues with their vision and headaches. Furthermore, pituitary tumors can be divided into three groups according to their problematic actions.

Hypersecretion refers to the making of too much hormone, and this is an issue afflicted by a secretory pituitary tumor. Hyposecretion, in contrast, is too little hormone production and is normally caused by a large pituitary tumor that will physically block the pituitary gland from making hormone. It can also result from surgical resection of a tumor. Lastly, tumor mass effects are the issues that arise from a growing pituitary tumor that is pressing against the pituitary gland and may result in compromised vision and headaches, as well.

Other pituitary conditions worth noting include craniopharyngioma. This is a type of cyst or tumor that is congenital, meaning it is present at birth. It can swell and fill with fluid, and may cause headaches and vision issues as well as sleep issues. ESS, or empty sella syndrome is a disorder that arises from an affliction in the bony structure that encases the brain and surrounds the pituitary. A primary ESS will be a small defect that give rise to high pressure in the bony base that causes the gland to flatten. This is linked to high blood pressure and obesity in females. On the other hand, secondary ESS will result from surgery or an injury that has caused the pituitary gland to regress. The symptoms will be related to pituitary function loss, such as infertility and fatigue.

The following hormones are made in the anterior (front part) of the pituitary gland:

Prolactin - stimulates breast milk production after childbirth. It also affects sex hormone levels from ovaries in women and from testes (testicles) in men, as well as fertilityGrowth hormone (GH) - stimulates growth in childhood and is important for maintaining a healthy body composition and well-being in adults. In adults, GH is important for maintaining muscle mass and bone mass. It also affects fat distribution in the body. Read about growth hormone excessAdrenocorticotropin (ACTH) - stimulates the production of cortisol by the adrenal glands—small glands that sit on top of the kidneys. Cortisol, a "stress hormone," is vital to our survival. It helps maintain blood pressure and blood glucose (sugar) levels, and is produced in larger amounts when we’re under stress—especially after illness or injury. Read about having too much ACTHThyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) - stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which regulate the body's metabolism, energy balance, growth, and nervous system activityLuteinizing hormone (LH) - stimulates testosterone production in men and egg release (ovulation) in womenFollicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) - promotes sperm production in men and stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen and develop eggs in women. LH and FSH work together to enable normal function of the ovaries and testesThe following hormones are stored in the posterior (back part) of the pituitary gland:

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) - also called vasopressin, regulates water balance in the body. It conserves body water by reducing the amount of water lost in urineOxytocin – causes milk to flow from the breasts in breastfeeding women, and may also help labor to progressPituitary Tumors

The most frequent type of pituitary disorder is a pituitary gland tumor. These tumors are fairly common in adults. They are not brain tumors and are almost always benign (that is, not cancer). In fact, cancerous tumors of this sort are extremely rare.

There are two types of tumors—secretory and non-secretory. Secretory tumors produce too much of a hormone normally made by the pituitary, and non-secretory tumors do not. Both types of tumors can cause problems if they are large and interfere with normal function of the pituitary gland and/or nearby structures in the brain.

The problems caused by pituitary tumors fall into three general categories:

Hypersecretion - too much of any hormone in the body is caused by a secretory pituitary tumorHyposecretion- too little of any hormone in the body can be caused by a large pituitary tumor, which interferes with the pituitary gland’s ability to produce hormones. Hyposecretion can also result from surgery or radiation of a tumorTumor mass effects - as a pituitary tumor grows and presses against the pituitary gland or other areas in the brain, it may cause headaches, vision problems, or other health effects