Hormones and Aging

The levels of hormones such as DHEA, melatonin, estrogen, testosterone, and HGH (human growth hormone) decline as people age and have an effect on the aging process.

Hormones affect all aspects of aging, external appearance (skin and hair), overall energy level, they play a role in mental acuity, and help ensure proper sleep.

Feeling of fatigue that may increase with aging process can be blamed partly on the declining levels of hormones estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA, as they are part of the body’s dopamine-adrenaline system, and have been found in research to play an important role in fatigue.

Also, estrogen and testosterone levels have been correlated with brain electrical activity and cognitive function.

Furthermore, skin, hair, and vaginal lubrication have been correlated to estrogen levels.

DHEA and progesterone have been found in studies to support mood, and progesterone and melatonin to support proper sleep.

Many following anti aging regimens try to keep the levels of these hormones at youtful levels, typically that of when they were 20 to 25 years of age.

The therapy that accomplishes that is called hormone replacement therapy.

Of the hormones that decline with aging, studies have suggested that estrogen replacement therapy slows the bone thinning that accompanies aging and may help prevent frailty and disability.

Growth hormone (GH), meanwhile, plays a role in body composition and muscle and bone strength in studies.

The release of GH is through the action of growth hormone releasing hormone. The way it works is by stimulating the production of insulin-like growth factor.

The levels of melatonin also decline with age. It responds to light and seems to regulate various seasonal changes in the body. The decline may affect changes throughout the endocrine system of the body.

Testosterone, meanwhile, may decline with age, though less frequently or significantly than estrogen in women.

There are several significant risks with all the hormone replacement therapies, but especially so with testosterone, including an increased risk of certain cancers, particularly prostate cancer when too much testosterone is administered to the body.

Finally, DHEA, is a weak male hormone and a precursor to some other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, and the levels of the compound start to decline around age 30.

Studies are under way to find out how the hormone affects aging related decline in the immune system, and its potential to prevent certain diseases, including cancer.

Apart from estrogen, all hormone therapies are very much in experimental stage for use against aging related conditions.

Science is also unclear as to what influence the natural decline in some hormones has on the aging process in middle and late life.

There are, however, studies that show positive results in terms of anti aging with hormone replacement therapy.

Hormones and Aging - Studies

Prestwood KM, Kenny AM, Kleppinger A, Kulldorff M. Ultralow-dose micronized 17beta-estradiol and bone density and bone metabolism in older women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2003 Aug 27;290(8):1042-8.

Ryan N, Rosner A. Quality of life and costs associated with micronized progesterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate in hormone replacement therapy for nonhys-terectomized, postmenopausal women. Clin Ther. 2001 Jul;23(7):1099-115.

Langer RD. Micronized progesterone: a new therapeutic option. Int J Fertil Womens Med. 1999 Mar-Apr;44(2):67-73.

Davis SR, Burger HG. The role of androgen therapy. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Mar;17(1)165-75.

Sarrel PM. Androgen deficiency: menopause and estrogen-related factors. Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77 Suppl 4:S63-7.

Davis A, Gilbert K, Misiowiec P, Riegel B. Perceived effects of testosterone replacement therapy in perimenopausal women: an internet pilot study. Health Care Women Int. 2003 Nov;24(9):831-48.

Hunt PJ, Gurnell EM, Huppert FA, et al. Improvement in mood and fatigue after dehydro-epiandrosterone replacement in Addison’s disease in a randomized, double blind trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000 Dec;85(12):4650-6.

Scott LV, Salahuddin F, CooneyJ, Svec F, Dinan TG. Differences in adrenal steroid profile in chronic fatigue syndrome in depression and in health. J Affect Disord. 1999 Jul;54(1-2): 129-37.

LeBlanc ES, Janowsky J, Chan BK, Nelson HD. Hormone replacement therapy and cognition: systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA. 2001 Mar 21;285(11):1489- 99.

Sherwin BB. Estrogen and cognitive func- tioning in women. Endocr Rev. 2003 Apr;24(2)133-51.

Chu MC, Lobo RA. Formulations and use of androgens in women. Mayo Clin Proc. 2004 Apr;79(4 Suppl):S3-7.

Wisniewski AB, Nguyen TT, Dobs AS. Evaluation of high-dose estrogen and high-dose estrogen plus methyltestosterone treatment on cognitive task performance in postmenopausal women. Horm Res. 2002;58(3):150-5.

Bachmann GA, Leiblum SR. The impact of hormones on menopausal sexuality: a literature review. Menopause. 2004 Jan- Feb;11(1):120-30.

Marthol H, Hilz MJ. Female sexual dysfunction: a systematic overview of classifi- cation, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment. Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr. 2004 Mar;72(3):121-35.

Montplaisir J, Lorrain J, Denesle R, Petit D. Sleep in menopause: differential effects of two forms of hormone replacement therapy. Menopause. 2001 Jan-Feb;8(1):10-6.

Boothby LA, Doering PL, Kipersztok S. Bioidentical hormone therapy: a review. Menopause. May-Jun;11(3):356-67.

Espeland MA, Rapp SR, Shumaker SA, et al. Conjugated estrogens and global cognitive function in postmenopausal women: Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study. JAMA. 2004 Jun 23;291(24):2959-68.

Nelson HD. Commonly used types of post menopausal estrogen for treatment of hot flashes: scientific review. JAMA. 2004 Apr 7;291(13):1610-20.

Wetzel W. Human identical hormones: real people, real problems, real solutions. Nurse Pract Forum. 1998 Dec;9(4):227-34.

Watt PJ, Hughes RB, Rettew LB, Adams R. A holistic programmatic approach to natural hormone replacement. Fam Community Health. 2003 Jan- Mar;26(1):53-63.

Khashoggi TY. Current trends in hormone replacement therapy. Saudi Med J. 2002 May;23(5):495-502.

Fitzpatrick LA, Pace C, Wiita B. Comparison of regimens containing oral micronized progesterone or medroxyprog- esterone acetate on quality of life in post-menopausal women: a cross-sectional survey. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2000 May;9(4):381-7.


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