雄激素的产生主要发生在位于睾丸间质室的Leydig细胞中。在老年男性中,睾丸激素对维持肌肉质量和力量至关重要,骨密度,性功能,代谢健康,能级,认知功能,以及整体福祉。随着男人年龄的增长,睾丸的Leydig细胞产生的睾丸激素从30多岁开始以每年约1%的速度开始下降。这篇综述强调了有关使用天然多酚化合物的最新发现,如类黄酮,白藜芦醇,和酚酸,为了增加睾酮的产生,从而预防与睾酮不足相关的年龄相关的退行性疾病。有趣的是,大多数对睾丸激素产生有益作用的天然多酚抗氧化剂倾向于增强睾丸间质细胞中类固醇生成急性调节蛋白(Star)基因的表达。STAR蛋白促进类固醇前体胆固醇进入线粒体,雄激素生物合成的限速步骤。天然多酚化合物还可以提高类固醇生成酶的活性,下丘脑-垂体轴信号,和睾酮的生物利用度。因此,许多多酚化合物,如木犀草素,槲皮素,白藜芦醇,阿魏酸苯乙酯或gigantol可能有望延缓男性衰老引起的迟发性性腺机能减退。
Androgen production primarily occurs in Leydig cells located in the interstitial compartment of the testis. In aging males, testosterone is crucial for maintaining muscle mass and strength, bone density, sexual function, metabolic health, energy levels, cognitive function, as well as overall well-being. As men age, testosterone production by Leydig cells of the testes begins to decline at a rate of approximately 1% per year starting from their 30s. This review highlights recent findings concerning the use of natural polyphenolics compounds, such as flavonoids, resveratrol, and phenolic acids, to enhance testosterone production, thereby preventing age-related degenerative conditions associated with testosterone insufficiency. Interestingly, most of the natural polyphenolic antioxidants having beneficial effects on testosterone production tend to enhance the expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star) gene in Leydig cells. The STAR protein facilitates the entry of the steroid precursor cholesterol inside mitochondria, a rate-limiting step for androgen biosynthesis. Natural polyphenolic compounds can also improve the activities of steroidogenic enzymes, hypothalamus-pituitary gland axis signaling, and testosterone bioavailability. Thus, many polyphenolic compounds such as luteolin, quercetin, resveratrol, ferulic acid phenethyl ester or gigantol may be promising in delaying the initiation of late-onset hypogonadism accompanying aging in males.