Corticosteroid facts for kids
Corticosteroids are special types of hormones. Your body makes them naturally in a small part of your adrenal glands called the adrenal cortex. These glands sit right above your kidneys. Animals with backbones, like humans, also make these hormones.
Sometimes, doctors use man-made versions of these hormones as medicine. These medicines are also called corticosteroids.
Corticosteroids do many important jobs in your body. They help with things like:
- How your body handles stress.
- How your immune system fights off germs.
- Controlling inflammation (when a part of your body gets red, swollen, or painful).
- Managing how your body uses sugars and proteins for energy.
- Keeping the right balance of important chemicals (called electrolytes) in your blood.
- Even affecting your mood and behavior.
Contents
Types of Corticosteroids
There are two main kinds of corticosteroids that your body makes:
Glucocorticoids
These hormones mainly help control how your body uses energy. They also play a big role in reducing inflammation and affecting your immune system. A common example is Cortisol, which helps your body respond to stress.
Mineralocorticoids
These hormones are important for keeping the right balance of salt and water in your body. This helps control your blood pressure. The main mineralocorticoid is called aldosterone.
How Corticosteroids Work
Corticosteroids work by sending signals to your cells. They can tell your body to slow down inflammation or to change how your immune system reacts. This is why they are often used as medicines to treat many different conditions.
For example, doctors might prescribe corticosteroids for:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Skin conditions like eczema
- Autoimmune diseases, where your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body.
Images for kids
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This diagram shows how your body makes different steroid hormones, including corticosteroids.
See also
In Spanish: Corticosteroide para niños
