甲状腺激素的生理功能是调节机体细胞的氧化过程。已经证明老年人基础氧消耗量降低,并且氧消耗量的降低与血清中甲状腺素游离率密切相关;因此,关于老化过程中,甲状腺功能的改变,引起了人们的重视。但Gregerman(1962)证明老年人外同血总T_4(甲状腺素)和游离T_4浓度并无明显改变;以后陆续发表的有关研究报告也都支持这一 The physiological function of thyroid hormone is to regulate the body’s oxidation process. It has been demonstrated that basal oxygen consumption in the elderly is reduced and the reduction of oxygen consumption is closely related to the thyroid hormone release rate in the serum. Therefore, changes in thyroid function during aging have attracted people’s attention. However, Gregerman (1962) demonstrated that there was no significant change in the total T_4 (thyroxine) and free T_4 concentrations in the same blood of the elderly, as well as in the later published research reports