Hormone decline refers to the gradual reduction in hormone levels that occurs as we age. As we go through different life stages, our hormones fluctuate to regulate growth, reproduction, metabolism, and other processes. Key hormones that decline with age include:
- Estrogen: Estrogen levels peak during the reproductive years and drop off around menopause in women. This leads to symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bone loss.
- Testosterone: Testosterone peaks in early adulthood in men and then slowly declines about 1% per year after age 30. Lower testosterone can cause low energy, reduced muscle mass, weight gain, and erectile dysfunction.
- Growth hormone: Growth hormone is essential for growth in childhood but declines steadily as we age. This contributes to loss of muscle mass, bone density, and skin thickness over time.
- Thyroid hormone: Thyroid dysfunction becomes more common with age, causing fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, and other symptoms.
- DHEA: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) peaks around age 25 then declines. This affects the production of estrogen and testosterone.
- The glands responsible for releasing hormones like the pituitary, thyroid, ovaries, and testes, become less efficient. They secrete lower levels of key messengers like luteinizing hormone that trigger hormone production.
- Hormone receptors in body tissues become less sensitive and responsive to the same levels of hormones.
- Binding proteins that transport hormones in blood decrease, so there are lower levels of usable, "free" hormones accessible to tissues and cells.
- Mild symptoms like low energy, weight gain, hot flashes
- Loss of muscle and bone mass increasing frailty and fracture risk
- Changes in cholesterol, increasing heart disease risk
- Loss of collagen and skin damage
- Depression, mood changes, reduced mental clarity and memory
- Vaginal dryness and painful intercourse in women