how would it be possible to have the normal amount of a hormone circulating in the blood yet still have symptoms that indicate a shortage of that hormone?

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Dee Dee

Biology

16 June, 19:36

how would it be possible to have the normal amount of a hormone circulating in the blood yet still have symptoms that indicate a shortage of that hormone?

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Gianna · Answer 1

There are a few ways this could be possible.

It could be that the receptors in the cell that are supposed to recognise and respond to the hormone are not working (by mutation, shortage, or inhibited by another factor). Therefore, even though there is plenty of hormone circling, the hormone is unable to cause the normal signalling responses, because the receptor is not acting upon its binding. This could also be true for a variety of proteins involved in that particular pathway, maybe the receptor protein is working fine, but another protein in that pathway is malfunctioning.

Another option could be that for some reason the cell is targeting the hormone for degradation, meaning it is unable to carry out its functions even though it is present in the blood.