[Endocrinology of the climacteric].

The endocrinology of the menopause is determined by the decrease of estrogens. In 250 healthy patients there was an observed decrease of estrone to 35 pg/ml and of estradiol to 10 pg/ml serum between the 49th and 54th year of age. Thereafter no further decline occurred, because the androgen precursors of the estrogens were secreted by the adrenal cortex until advanced age. In a period of 30 years there was a decrease of the androgen levels of only 25%. In 200 patients with severe obesity we found no differences in peripheral steroid concentrations, but the SHBC concentrations were significantly lowered; therefore, the amount of free active estradiol and the effect on the target organ is higher in these patients.