A steroid hormone is a steroid that acts as a hormone. Steroid hormones can be grouped into two classes:
- Corticosteroids (typically made in the adrenal cortex, hence cortico-): include glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids
- Sex steroids (typically made in the gonads or placenta), include: androgens, estrogens, and progestogens.
Steroid hormones help control metabolism, inflammation, immune functions, salt and water balance, development of sexual characteristics, and the ability to withstand illness and injury. The term steroid describes both hormones produced by the body and artificially produced medications that duplicate the action for the naturally occurring steroids.