Both male and female reproductive glands are also called gonads: female ovaries and male testes both produce the same hormones, just in different amounts. These include estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These hormones amplify sexual characteristics that are dormant before puberty. The danger of the wrong proportions of hormones from these glands is that their function, rather than helping to bring about new life, may encourage improper cellular changes that may become life-threatening. Nutritional needs for the gonads vary somewhat, but all require plenty of essential fatty acids, vitamins C, E and B-complex, the minerals calcium, magnesium, selenium, iron and zinc.

	Addison's Disease The Condition "...Less commonly associated auto-immune diseases are insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and insufficiencies of the parathyroid glands, gonads, and vitamin B12 absorption (pernicious anemia)..." Adrenal Related Topic "...They also produce sex hormones in minute amounts, which is important for later years when the gonads drop or cease their production..." Hypopituitarism The Condition "...The deficiencies affect the target organ activity or secretion (the thyroid; the adrenals; or the gonads, which includes both female and male sexual development and function)..."

Last updated: Oct 08, 2008