Aging and Performance Enhancing Drugs

Question 1

What are the two main factors contributing to deterioration of glucose metabolism in aging individuals?

Answer 1

1. Decrease in insulin secretion by beta cells
2. increase in insulin resistance (poor diet, physical inactivity, increased abdominal fat, decreased lean body muscle)

Question 2

What are the changes that occur in the thyroid gland?

Answer 2

There is a small decrease in TSH release from pituitary. There is a large decrease in the T4 metabolism in peripheral tissues (T4 stays the same, but T3 declines)

Question 3

What are the changes that occur in the pituitary?

Answer 3

There is a decrease in growth hormone production by somatotrophs –> get less lean muscle