Introduction to Addison's Disease
Addison’s disease affects your body’s adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a group of glands all over your body that produce hormones to regulate your body’s processes, including your moods, growth, metabolism, and tissue function. The adrenal glands are located just above your kidneys. They produce hormones that affect how your body responds to stress.
In people who have Addison’s disease, the adrenal glands do not produce enough corticosteroid hormones, such as cortisol and aldosterone. Addison’s disease is most common among people 30 to 50 years of age, but it can occur at any age and affects men and women equally. It is also called adrenal insufficiency or hypocortisolism.