[Sex hormones and physiological function].

Sex hormones as estrogen, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone decline with age. Especially in women, bioavailable estrogen level rapidly decreases around the menopause. Estrogen acts against arteriosclerosis to vascular endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. The lack of estrogen with menopause accelerates arteriosclerosis that is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. The adipose distribution shifts from gluteo-femoral to abdominal depots after menopause, and it is well known that visceral obesity induce metabolic syndrome, which is also high risk state for cardiovascular disease. Estrogen replacement therapy may reduce the cardiovascular risk, and we should pay attention to the starting age of women who undergo hormone therapy.