Skip to main content

Bioactive Hormones

Meaning

Bioactive Hormones represent the fraction of circulating hormones in the bloodstream that are not bound to carrier proteins, existing instead in a free state and thus available to interact with target cell receptors. Only this unbound, or free, portion of a hormone is capable of traversing cell membranes or binding to cell-surface receptors to exert its specific physiological effect on tissues. Clinically assessing these bioactive levels is crucial because total hormone measurements often inaccurately reflect the actual tissue exposure and the true hormonal status of a patient. Understanding this active fraction is essential for accurate diagnosis and management of many endocrine disorders.