The endocrine system
is a network of glands that produce and release hormones that help
control many important body functions, including the body's ability to
change calories into energy that powers cells and organs. The endocrine
system influences how your heart beats, how your bones and tissues grow, even your ability to make a baby. It plays a vital role in whether or not you develop diabetes, thyroid disease, growth disorders, sexual dysfunction, and a host of other hormone-related disorders.
