Androgen metabolism and the menopause

The concentration of androgens in the blood peaks in early adulthood. While the concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandroste rone sulfate (DHEAS) decline steadily, the concentrations of androstenedion e (A) and testosterone (T) decline just before or at the menopause. DHEAS i s bound strongly to albumin, resulting in a very low metabolic clearance ra te (MCR) of about 12 L/day. DHEA and A are bound weakly to albumin and thei r MCRs are 1800 to 2000 L/day. T is bound strongly to sex hormone-binding g lobulin (SHBG), and the MCR of T is about 500 L/day. There are no significa nt changes in the MCRs at the menopause or with age. The pathways of metabo lism are not altered at the menopause but aromatization of DHEA, A, and T t o estrone and estradiol all increase with age. Thus, androgen metabolism in general is affected move by age than by the menopause itself.