Final answer:
Steroid hormones, being lipid-soluble, interact with intracellular receptors and affect gene expression, a process that generally takes longer than peptide hormones' pathway of binding to cell surface receptors and activating a signaling cascade. Steroid hormones also circulate in the blood longer due to their transport bound to proteins.
Step-by-step explanation:
Steroid hormones typically take longer to act than peptide hormones due to their lipid-soluble nature and mechanism of action. Unlike peptide hormones that are not lipid-soluble, steroid hormones can permeate the plasma membrane and directly interact with intracellular receptors, which can then act on DNA to alter gene expression. This process is slower than the pathway used by peptide hormones, where binding to a cell surface receptor results in a rapid signaling cascade. Additionally, steroid hormones like cortisol, which are not soluble in water, are transported in the blood bound to transport proteins, extending their circulation time and half-life, resulting in a longer duration of action compared to peptide hormones such as epinephrine.