STEROID HORMONES AND AGIXG IX MAX 



415 



TABLE \ I 



Age-Related Changes in Steroid Hormone Metabolism 



Type of Hormone 



Production 



Catabolism 



Cortisol 



1 1 -Ox\- 1 7-ketosteroid 

 precursor (s) (androgen) 



Estrogen 



Fairly constant throughout 

 life in both sexes. 



Declines regularh* with ad- 

 vancing age in both sexes. 



Declines regularh' to post- 

 menopausal ages in wo- 

 men, and also at a lesser 

 rate with ad\ancing age 

 in men. 



11-Dehydrogenation tends 

 to decrease in older men 

 and women; 5a reduc- 

 tion of Cortisol catabo- 

 lites increases in older 

 subjects. 



Probably fairly constant. 

 but there may be some 

 tendency for increased 

 5/3 reduction in older 

 men. 



Rate of conversion to es- 

 triol increases with ad- 

 vancing age. 



there is some indication that certain chronic diseases may be accom- 

 panied by reduced Cortisol metabolite excretion. 



In contrast to the notable constancy of Cortisol bios\nthesis are the 

 indications in our latest data of some impairment of Cortisol catabolism 

 (see Tables l\ and \'). The reduced a-ketol metabolites of Cortisol 



»J-ch,-ch,-cvcmC^„» 



9"i 







CH» 



CHOLESTEROL 



A '-PREGNENOLONE 



PROGESTERONE 



HfOH 

 OH 



CHfOH 



\^ \^ 0' 



I7*-0H- PROGESTERONE I7*-0H-II DEOXY-CORTICOSTERONE CORTISOL 



Figure 2. The course ot Cortisol biosxiithesis in the adrenal cortex. 



