Aldosterone causes an increase in salt and water reabsorption into the bloodstream from the kidney thereby increasing the blood volume, restoring salt levels and blood pressure. The symptoms include high blood pressure, low blood levels of potassium and an abnormal increase in blood volume. Low aldosterone levels are found in a rare condition called Addison's disease. In Addison's disease, there is a general loss of adrenal function resulting in low blood pressure, lethargy and an increase in potassium levels in the blood see the article on Addison's disease for further information.
About Contact Events News. Search Search. You and Your Hormones. Students Teachers Patients Browse. Human body. Home Hormones Aldosterone. Aldosterone Aldosterone is a steroid hormone. Its main role is to regulate salt and water in the body, thus having an effect on blood pressure.
What is aldosterone? How is aldosterone controlled? What happens if I have too much aldosterone? Alterations in plasma potassium concentration have opposite and independent effects on renin secretion by the kidney and on aldosterone secretion by the adrenal gland.
Renin secretion tends to be inhibited by hyperkalemia and stimulated by potassium depletion. In contrast, increases of plasma potassium directly stimulate aldosterone secretion. This effect of potassium on aldosterone serves as a protective mechanism against the development of hyperkalemia.
Conversely, hypokalemia inhibits aldosterone production. Small changes in plasma potassium have a greater effect on aldosterone than on renin secretion.
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