Metabolic benefits afforded by estradiol and testosterone in both sexes: clinical considerations.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing mechanistic and physiological actions without systematic review methods.
PubMed 39225098 · doi:10.1172/JCI180073
What was done
This narrative review synthesizes clinical and mechanistic evidence examining the metabolic roles of 17β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) in both human females and males, focusing on age-related hormone decline and metabolic dysfunction.
What was found
The abstract provides no quantitative data or effect sizes. Qualitatively, it reports that in females, E2 supports bone and vascular health, subcutaneous fat patterning, muscle insulin sensitivity, anti-inflammatory immunity, and mitochondrial function, alongside supportive roles from T. In males, conversion of T to E2 is critical for bone, vascular, and visceral fat regulation, while T and dihydrotestosterone directly promote muscle growth and insulin sensitivity via androgen receptor activation.
Why it matters
It highlights that sex hormones exert vital metabolic regulation across both sexes rather than acting exclusively within traditional male/female divisions, suggesting dual-hormone considerations for managing aging-related cardiometabolic disease and frailty.
Limits
The abstract reports no new primary data, sample sizes, or systematic review methodology. Clinical efficacy and safety thresholds for hormone optimization across sexes are not quantified and require direct experimental trials.
Cited by
- supports Age-related reductions in estrogen and testosterone impair glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity.