COVID-19 Among One of The Many Contributing Factors for Rising Cases of Hypopituitarism
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 26, 2026 1 hour, 42 minutes ago
Medical News: New scientific evidence is steadily changing the way hypopituitarism is viewed by the medical community. Long regarded as a rare hormonal disorder linked mainly to brain tumors or traumatic head injuries, hypopituitarism is now increasingly associated with a wide and evolving range of triggers. Among these, COVID-19 has emerged as a concerning new factor. This
Medical News report is based on an extensive review conducted by researchers from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at The First Hospital of Jilin University in Changchun, Jilin, China.
Researchers warn that COVID-19, immunotherapy, infections and toxins are driving a silent global rise
in pituitary hormone disorders.
What Hypopituitarism Really Means
The pituitary gland is a pea sized organ located at the base of the brain, yet it plays an outsized role in regulating nearly every hormone system in the body. When the gland is damaged or disrupted, it may fail to produce adequate hormones that control growth, metabolism, fertility, stress response, and water balance. As a result, individuals may suffer from chronic fatigue, unexplained weight changes, infertility, low blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, or life-threatening adrenal failure. Because these symptoms are often subtle and develop gradually, hypopituitarism is frequently underdiagnosed.
Traditional Causes Still Play a Major Role
The review confirms that pituitary tumors and other masses near the brain remain the leading causes, accounting for roughly half of all diagnosed cases. These growths damage hormone producing cells through direct pressure, reduced blood flow, or sudden bleeding within the gland. Radiation therapy and pituitary surgery, while often essential for survival, can also lead to delayed hormonal failure that may only become apparent many years later.
COVID-19 and the Pituitary Gland
COVID-19 has added a new layer of concern. The virus binds to ACE2 receptors, which are found in relatively high concentrations in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Autopsy studies of patients who died from COVID-19 showed widespread suppression of pituitary hormone related genes, even in cases where viral particles were not directly detected in the gland. This suggests that immune driven inflammation, vascular injury, and post viral fibrosis may impair pituitary function. Case reports have already documented new onset hypopituitarism and central diabetes insipidus following COVID-19 infection, raising fears of long-term endocrine consequences among survivors.
Other Emerging and Overlooked Triggers
Beyond COVID-19, the researchers highlighted several lesser known but increasingly important causes. Modern cancer treatments, especially immune checkpoint inhibitors used in immunotherapy, have become a major concern. These drugs are designed to unleash the immune system against tumors, but in some patients they also provoke autoimmune inflammation of the pituitary gland. This condition often develops silently, with patients first p
resenting only when cortisol levels fall dangerously low, leading to fatigue, dizziness, low blood pressure, or sudden shock.
Infectious diseases also remain a significant yet underrecognized threat. Tuberculosis can form mass like lesions around the pituitary that mimic tumors and destroy hormone producing tissue. Fungal infections, syphilis, and certain viral illnesses can trigger inflammation or bleeding within the gland. In parts of Asia, snakebite related toxins are a particularly alarming cause. Venoms can induce severe blood clotting disorders and vascular injury, leading to pituitary hemorrhage or infarction. In some documented cases, hypopituitarism was diagnosed decades after the initial snakebite.
Another overlooked contributor is iron overload. Individuals with blood disorders such as thalassemia or those requiring repeated blood transfusions may accumulate excess iron in the pituitary gland. This iron generates toxic oxidative stress that gradually kills hormone secreting cells, often first affecting reproductive hormones before progressing to more critical hormonal systems.
Why Early Detection Is Critical
The review emphasizes that untreated hypopituitarism is associated with significantly higher mortality, particularly in younger patients and men. Early hormone screening is strongly recommended for individuals with prior COVID-19 infection, cancer immunotherapy exposure, serious infections, head trauma, or unexplained chronic symptoms.
Conclusions
This comprehensive analysis shows that hypopituitarism is no longer a condition with limited and predictable causes. COVID-19, cancer immunotherapy, infections, toxins, and metabolic disorders have expanded the risk landscape dramatically. Improving awareness among clinicians and patients alike is essential to ensure early diagnosis, timely treatment, and better long-term outcomes for those affected.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Frontiers in Endocrinology.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1695833/full
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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