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Adrenopause

Meaning

Adrenopause clinically describes the age-related decline in the production of adrenal androgens, primarily dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated form, DHEA-S, by the adrenal cortex. This physiological change is a natural component of human aging, distinctly separate from gonadal senescence like menopause or andropause. Understanding this decline is important because DHEA serves as a precursor for sex hormones in peripheral tissues.