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Sex Hormone Body Composition

Meaning

Sex hormone body composition describes the profound influence that androgens, estrogens, and progestins exert on the relative distribution of lean muscle mass and adipose tissue within the human body. These steroid hormones are powerful regulators of energy metabolism, dictating patterns of fat storage and muscle protein synthesis in a sex-specific and age-dependent manner. Maintaining optimal levels and ratios of sex hormones is critical for preserving muscle mass, preventing central adiposity, and supporting overall metabolic health across the lifespan. Declines in these hormones, such as during menopause or andropause, are directly linked to unfavorable shifts in body composition.