14.5: Specific Hormones
- Page ID
- 84108
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The endocrine system produces a prodigious number and assortment of hormones that have myriad influences on various cell types and parts of the body. There is significant information about the presence or absence of age changes and the nature and effects of such changes for only a few hormones. The following section contains additional information about these few hormones.
Abnormal and disease conditions will be discussed only with regard to insulin and glucagon because abnormalities and diseases of other hormones are not common among the elderly. When such conditions arise, they usually involve having an inadequate amount or an excess of a hormone. Inadequacies are usually treated simply by administering more of the hormone or stimulating its secretion. Excesses are often treated by destroying or removing part or all of the structure secreting the hormone or administering other hormones or medications that reduce the secretion or effects of the excess hormone.
Finally, little mention will be made of changes in endocrine structures. Usually, aging results in decreases in size, increases in fibrous material or lipofuscin, and certain changes in the cells. Except for the thymus gland and ovaries, these age changes do not seem to have a significant effect on the ability of the endocrine structure to perform its functions. This situation may exist because of the large reserve capacity in many endocrine structures.