What is the pituitary gland?

The pituitary gland is a small, oval gland (about the size of a pea) that's located at the base of your skull. It has two sides, the posterior and the anterior. The anterior comes up from the back of the mouth and grows up into the brain, while the posterior protrudes down from the hypothalamus in the brain to sit on a bone called the "Turkish Saddle." It's a bone that sits at the base of the skull and holds the pituitary—almost like a ball resting in a socket. Although the posterior secretes a couple hormones, the anterior gets all the glory for secreting hormones you probably recognize, if not by name, by their function—including:

• luteinizing hormone, which plays a part in menstrual cycles and pregnancy and tells men when to release testosterone;

• prolactin, which helps women produce milk and plays a role in maintaining immune system cells in both genders (women have a lot more prolactin at all times than men);

• thyroid stimulating hormone, which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more thyroid hormone that helps regulate metabolism and blood pressure;

• adrenal corticotrophic hormone, which stimulates: the adrenal cortex to produce cortisone that helps regulate metabolism, blood pressure, and response to stress;

• aldosterone that helps regulate water metabolism and blood pressure; and the sex hormone it produces (such as testosterone for women);

• and growth hormone, which, uh, helps you grow.