Left adrenal gland
Glandula suprarenalis sinistra
Endocrine & glandsGlandsAbdomenLeft side
- What it is
- A flat, crescent-shaped (semilunar) gland draped over the inner upper pole of the left kidney, behind the stomach and pancreas. Like its partner it has an outer yellow cortex and an inner red-brown medulla, which are really two glands in one capsule.
- Function
- Cortex: aldosterone (salt and blood-pressure control), cortisol (stress, glucose, immune suppression) and weak androgens; medulla: adrenaline and noradrenaline for fight-or-flight.
- Size
- About 4–5 × 3 × 1 cm, 4–5 g
- Clinical note
- The left adrenal vein drains into the left renal vein, unlike the right, which empties straight into the inferior vena cava. Adrenal failure (Addison's disease) causes fatigue, low blood pressure and a bronze tan from excess ACTH.