Thyroid Hormones, Gonadal and Adrenocortical Steroids and the Function of the Islets of Langerhans

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Abstract
Introduction THE ROLE of thyroid hormones, gonadal steroids and adrenocortical steroids in the regulation of glucose and insulin homeostasis has been a matter of debate for many decades. After a brief survey of the early literature, this review attempts to evaluate present knowledge concerning the effects of these hormones on glycemic control in normal and diabetic states. Attention is focused upon changes in the insulin secretory activity of the islets of Langerhans and the metabolic actions of insulin, considering particularly the mechanisms involved. Thyroid Hormones Thyroid hormones and insulin exert antagonistic metabolic effects. Since the first description of a patient with hyperthyroidism complicated by diabetes mellitus by Dumontpallier 1) in 1867 there have been many investigations into the relationship between thyroid hormones and diabetes mellitus (2). Much of this research predates the purification of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and this is considered elsewhere (2). The present review concentrates upon more recent developments which elaborate the physiologic mechanisms through which thyroid hormones contribute to the regulation of glucose and insulin homeostasis.

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