Endocrine Adaptations in Aging

Aging is a fundamental biological process in which endocrine systems adapt, and sometimes fail to adapt, to changing physiological demands over the lifespan. Hormonal signaling pathways coordinate growth, reproduction, metabolism, stress responses, immune function, and tissue maintenance, and these programs shift with age. Many were shaped by evolutionary forces to maximize fitness rather than longevity, creating trade-offs in which endocrine strategies advantageous early in life may later contribute to functional decline and disease. Across species, variation in life histories and environmental pressures has given rise to diverse endocrine adaptations during aging, and these adaptations influence differences in lifespan and healthspan. Understanding how endocrine systems change with age provides critical insight into the biological mechanisms of aging and highlights opportunities to enhance endocrine resilience and promote healthy aging.The aim of this Research Topic is to advance understanding of how endocrine adaptations shape aging across species, drawing on evolutionary, comparative, and translational perspectives. It seeks to identify conserved hormonal pathways and adaptive trade-offs that influence lifespan, healthspan, and resilience to age-related stressors. By examining how hormonal regulation changes with age, this collection will clarify how these changes contribute to metabolic dysfunction, chronic disease, and functional decline. In parallel, it aims to bridge basic and translational endocrinology, highlighting how adaptive endocrine mechanisms observed in nature and in clinical populations can inform therapeutic, preventive, and lifestyle-based strategies to support healthy aging in humans.Themes of interest include, but are not limited to:• Endocrine adaptations to aging across different species and life histories • Evolutionary theories of aging and endocrine regulation • Hormonal trade-offs between reproduction, metabolism, and longevity • Age-related remodeling of insulin/IGF, thyroid, sex steroid, and stress hormone signaling • Endocrine plasticity and environmental influences on aging trajectories • Sex-specific endocrine strategies and differential aging outcomes • Translational applications of endocrine adaptations for aging interventions Topic editors: James Harper Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78727/endocrine-adaptations-in-aging