Steroid hormones are a special group of active substances that regulate the vital processes in humans and animals. In all vertebrates. The synthesis of these hormones is interconnected. Therefore, it is possible to influence the synthesis of several hormones simultaneously. Steroid hormones are important for the human body.
Adrenal cortex hormones (or corticosteroid hormones)
Mineralocorticosteroids are hormones that affect the metabolism of minerals (mainly sodium and potassium). With an excessive amount of mineralocorticosteroids in the human body, edema, high blood pressure, hypokalemia can develop. With a lack of these hormones, the excretion of water and sodium from the body by the kidneys can increase, as a result of which dehydration of the body develops .
Glucocorticoids are highly lipophilic substances that easily penetrate the cell membrane, after which they bind to special receptors in the cytoplasm - glucocorticoid. The resulting complex is introduced into the cell nucleus, where glucocorticoids begin to influence the secretion of various genes, thereby stimulating the formation of certain proteins. This type of hormone increases the level of glucose in the bloodstream, causes the redistribution of fat (an increase in the fat fold on the neck, face, chest, upper back and stomach, on the extremities the fat layer becomes smaller), enhances the effect of adrenaline, promotes the breakdown of proteins and inhibits their synthesis ( this action is called catabolic), can have an average mineralocorticoid effect. Steroid hormones glucocorticosteroids are most often used as immunosuppressive, anti-shock, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents. Glucocorticosteroids have a number of side effects. This is osteoporosis, disorders in the structure of the gastric mucosa, decreased immunity, hyperglycemia, edema, glucosuria (the so-called steroid diabetes), increased blood pressure, posterior subcapsular cataract, impaired fat metabolism, decreased muscle mass of the extremities, disorders of nervous activity (paranoia, depression, euphoria) . In addition, these hormones help increase appetite, intracranial and intraocular pressure, reduce the number of eosinophils and lymphocytes in the blood, increase the number of neutrophils and disrupt the growth process of the child’s body.
Sexual harmonies are female and male. Female are produced in the ovaries. There are gestagenic and estrogenic hormones. There are medicines corresponding to them.
Estrogenic drugs are used as replacement therapy for menstrual irregularities, estrogen hormone deficiency , and infertility. It is usually prescribed in combination with progestogens.
Gestagenic drugs reduce the excitability of the uterine myometrium (muscle layer) during gestation. For this reason, they are used for beginning and threatening miscarriages. The true gestagen hormone is progesterone. His medication is also called. This hormone is part of the contraceptive that must be taken orally. Progestogens have a number of side effects: weight gain, acne, fluid retention in the human body, depression, insomnia, menstruation, hirsutism.
Male sex hormones are steroid hormones produced in the testes. Their drugs are called androgenic. The main male sex hormone is testosterone. As medicines, its synthetic analogue is used - testosterone propionate and methyltestosterone. Androgenic drugs are prescribed for impotence, insufficient sexual development, and breast cancer.