Endocrine changes with aging

Menopause

The most striking age-related change in endocrine function is menopause. Estrogens are produced by granulosa and interstitial cells, which line the egg-containing ovarian follicles. The depletion of ovarian follicles with age makes a reduction in estrogen secretion inevitable, and this decrease defines the onset of menopause. In postmenopausal women, serum estrogen concentrations decrease by at least 80 percent. This decrease leads to increases in the secretion and serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Increases in the secretion and serum concentrations of these hormones provide evidence that the pituitary gland remains functional in normal postmenopausal women, even though ovarian function declines markedly.

The testis

Serum testosterone concentrations decrease very gradually in men beginning around age 30. Men aged 70 or older may have substantially reduced testosterone levels. About 2 percent of men are affected by late-onset hypogonadism (andropause, or male menopause), which begins around age 40 and results in decreased testicular function and testosterone deficiency. Symptoms of late-onset hypogonadism include decreased libido, fatigue, depression, and erectile dysfunction. The condition may proceed unnoticed for many years because symptoms are often subtle.

The normal physiological decline of testosterone in men is due to a decrease in the number of androgen-secreting Leydig cells and is accompanied by a gradual decrease in spermatogenesis, although men often remain fertile for many more years. In addition, there is a small compensatory increase in gonadotropin secretion.

Thyroid and adrenal function

Thyroid function does not significantly change with age. The clearance of thyroxine and triiodothyronine decreases somewhat and is matched by a decrease in their production. Therefore, serum thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations do not change, nor do serum thyrotropin concentrations. As many as 10 to 12 percent of people age 60 years and older have slightly increased serum thyrotropin concentrations because of mild chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. Similarly, ACTH and cortisol secretion do not significantly change with age, but serum DHEA concentrations decrease progressively beginning at about 30 years of age. The cause of the decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone is not known. The secretion of aldosterone also decreases slightly, as does plasma renin activity, but healthy elderly people are able to maintain normal fluid and electrolyte balance.

Growth hormone

Growth hormone secretion and serum IGF-1 concentrations decrease gradually with age. As compared with young adults, older people have mild deficiency of growth hormone and IGF-1. Deficiency of IGF-1 could help to explain the decrease of muscle mass and the increase in fat mass that occurs in many older people. Whether growth hormone treatment reverses these changes is controversial, and the treatment has potentially dangerous side effects, including increased blood pressure and fluid retention.

Parathormone and bone

Parathormone secretion tends to increase slightly with age, but serum calcium concentrations do not significantly change. The possible reasons for increased secretion of parathormone include decreased calcium and vitamin D intake (and possibly decreased sun exposure) and decreased kidney function that causes a reduction in the amount of vitamin D that an older individual can absorb.

Peak bone mass and density occur at about 30 years of age. Thereafter bone mass declines gradually with age; the decline accelerates during the first years after menopause in women, after which the rate of loss slows but nonetheless continues indefinitely. This loss of bone contributes to the well-known increase in fractures that occur in elderly people, especially in women. A very important contributing factor to an increased risk of fracture is an increased likelihood of falls, caused by decreases in muscle strength and coordination. The risk factors for loss of bone in older people include genetic susceptibility, smoking, lean body build, inactivity, calcium and vitamin D deficiency, and estrogen deficiency in women and testosterone deficiency in men.

Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone)

Older people tend to have decreased thirst in response to water deprivation and increased basal serum vasopressin concentrations. In addition, their kidneys tend to respond less well to vasopressin when compared with younger people. These changes increase the risk of dehydration. On the other hand, if water is available, increased vasopressin secretion may result in an increase in water retention and decreased serum sodium concentrations, leading to hyponatremia.

The pancreatic islets

Blood glucose concentrations, while usually normal in the fasting state, increase after the ingestion of glucose in increments proportional to the age of the subject. That is, the older the subject, the higher the increase in blood glucose after glucose ingestion. The accompanying increase in insulin secretion, although appreciable, is not sufficient to maintain blood glucose concentrations in the range found in healthy young adults. Whether these changes should be viewed as abnormal or whether they merely reflect modifications appropriate to the aging process remains a matter of debate.