Aldosterone

/æl.ˈdɑs.tə.roʊn/ noun

Definition

A hormone produced by your adrenal glands that controls how much salt and water your kidneys keep in your body, affecting blood pressure.

Etymology

From 'aldose' (because it's a steroid sugar compound) + '-one' (ketone suffix, as it contains that functional group). Named in 1953 when scientists isolated this important hormone.

Kelly Says

Your body is constantly balancing aldosterone levels—if you eat too much salt, aldosterone drops to make you pee more, but if you're dehydrated, it rises to hold onto water! It's a brilliant self-regulating system.

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