ESTROGEN, DIABETES AND THE MENOPAUSE

Abstract

In the several years since the work of Evans and co-workers¹ and of Houssay and co-workers² the relationship of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland to carbohydrate metabolism has been rather firmly established. More recently Young³ has been able to produce permanent diabetes by the use of potent extracts of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland prepared at freezing temperatures. The pancreas of animals with such diabetes was found to show an atrophy of the islands of Langerhans and by actual assay very little or no insulin. The menopause is associated with hyperactivity of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. Thus any of its chemical products or biologic functions may be increased. If among these products the "diabetogenic" factor is increased it can produce diabetes or aggravate an existing diabetes either by its antagonistic action to insulin or, more fundamentally, by its effect functionally or