The Vitamins and Sex Hormones Concerned in Reproduction
Abstract
The vitamins, the hormones, and the enzymes constitute three important groups of substances of special interest to the biological chemist. Although many of the more startling discoveries in these fields seem already to have been made, our knowledge remains exceedingly elementary. Little is known about the details of the mechanism by means of which these substances are effective, and only recently has any considerable interest been evinced concerning their interrelationship. In a recent review, Bernheim1 mentioned several interesting examples of the interaction of vitamins and cell catalysts.
The purpose of the present review is to summarize some of the effects of nutritional states on the reproductive organs, and in some cases, to compare and contrast endocrine and vitamin deficiencies. Most of the available information has been the result of work with the rat, and some of the facts presented here may not be applicable to man. Mason2 recently considered this subject in a comprehensive review, and the reader is referred to his extensive bibliography.
The hormones and the vitamins are closely related in many respects, and both words have been used so extensively that their meanings are no longer very closely defined. For the purpose of this discussion, both may be considered as organic substances necessary for normal health; the vitamins are exogenous, whereas the hormones are endogenous. Depending upon the biological system being considered, some substances may fall into either group. For example, thiamin (vitamin B1) must be considered as a hormone in plants and as a vitamin in. . .
