Steroid hormone

Steroid hormone
Drug class
Estradiol, an important estrogen steroid hormone in both women and men.
Class identifiers
Synonyms	Adrenal steroid; Gonadal steroid
Use	Various
Biological target	Steroid hormone receptors
Chemical class	Steroidal; Nonsteroidal
Legal status
In Wikidata

A steroid hormone is a steroid that acts as a hormone. Steroid hormones can be grouped into two classes: corticosteroids (typically made in the adrenal cortex, hence cortico-) and sex steroids (typically made in the gonads or placenta). Within those two classes are five types according to the receptors to which they bind: glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids (both corticosteroids) and androgens, estrogens, and progestogens (sex steroids).^[1][2] Vitamin D derivatives are a sixth closely related hormone system with homologous receptors. They have some of the characteristics of true steroids as receptor ligands.

Steroid hormones help control metabolism, inflammation, immune functions, salt and water balance, development of sexual characteristics, and the ability to withstand injury and illness. The term steroid describes both hormones produced by the body and artificially produced medications that duplicate the action for the naturally occurring steroids.^[3][4][5]