FAT SOLUBLE HORMONES AND VITAMINS

The hormones:

The 5 major classes of steroid hormones are all synthesized from a cholesterol nucleus (a perhydrophenanthrene ring for you chemistry afficianados).

• corticosteroids (21 C's) - eg. cortisol, hydrocortisone
• aldosterone (mineralocorticoids - 21 C's)
• progestagens (progestational hormones - eg. progesterone - 21 C's)
• androgens (eg. testosterone - 19 C's)
• estrogens (eg. estradiol - 18 C's)

The 4 major "types" of lipid soluble vitamins are as follows (remember, there are various forms of the vitamins).

• vitamin A (retinol) - modified fatty acid
• vitamin D - synthesized from cholesterol, like the steroid hormones
• vitamin E - originally called tocopherol, tocopherols are now recognized as a very lipophilic group of naturally occurring and synthetic molecules which binds to saturated fats and helps prevent their oxidation (ie. Vit. E is an antioxidant)
• vitamin K - synthesized from menaquinones, which are lipids produced by certain plants and intestinal bacteria