ACTH

 

ACTH  - adrenocorticotropic hormone - is an endogenous hormone and binds to  ACTH receptors,  which are located in cells on the adrenal cortex.  The adrenal cortex is part of the adrenal gland and controls – the stress response. 

So ACTH has a lot to do with how we react to stress.  Stress, of course, isn’t bad because it helps in our ‘get up and go’ responses, but lots of stress and lots of get up and go when we have nowhere to go to, is not that good for us.  ACTH also regulates the release of cortisol by the adrenal gland and cortisol enhances metabolism – the breakdown of fat and its conversion to energy, the production of glucose to give us more energy, and by making the heart beat faster – ready to get up and go.

ACTH also increases the bio-availability of cholesterol in the cells of the adrenal cortex. All adrenocortical hormones are synthesized from cholesterol. Cholesterol is transported into the adrenal gland and ACTH then  increases the transport of cholesterol into the  mitochondria of cells and activates its hydrolysis. Without ACTH our cholesterol level goes up and repair does not take place.