title: Suppression of serum insulin level by diazoxide does not alter serum testosterone or sex hormone-binding globulin levels in healthy, nonobese women.
abstract: Suppression of serum insulin levels with diazoxide is associated with a decrease in serum testosterone and an increase in serum sex hormone-binding globulin in obese women with the polycystic ovary syndrome. To determine whether physiologic insulin levels play a regulatory role in the androgen status of nonobese women with normal menses, the androgen status of five nonobese normal women was assessed on two occasions: during a control study and after 10 days of oral diazoxide (100 mg, three times daily) administration. Insulin release in response to 100 gm oral glucose administration decreased from 108.0 +/- 28.2 to 49.3 +/- 5.2 nmol.min/L (p = 0.05) after diazoxide administration. However, despite suppression of insulin release, diazoxide administration did not affect serum total testosterone (diazoxide, 0.73 +/- 0.10; control, 0.69 +/- 0.11 nmol/L; p = NS) or sex hormone-binding globulin (diazoxide, 79.7 +/- 16.6; control, 70.2 +/- 12.6 nmol/L; p = NS) concentrations. These observations suggest that physiologic insulin levels in nonobese healthy women do not regulate testosterone metabolism and that diazoxide does not exert a direct or independent effect on serum testosterone or sex hormone-binding globulin levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nestler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Matt
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Clore
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Blackard
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003981:Diazoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D003981:Diazoxide