IGFBP-1: a metabolic signal associated with exercise-induced amenorrhoea.
Severe exercise in young females is a potent cause of menstrual irregularity, although the exact pathogenesis is currently unknown. We performed a cross-sectional endocrine and metabolic analysis of a group of elite athletes and dancers in order to establish which variable, if any, was specifically associated with changes in menstruation. By using a step-wise discriminant analysis, two independent predictors, elevated serum cortisol and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) levels, were found to account for the majority (67%) of the variance. IGFBP-1 is a hepatic protein which is acutely and inversely regulated by insulin, and is thought to modulate the peripheral actions of IGF-1. While the change in serum cortisol may reflect activation of central stress pathways, these findings suggest for the first time that there is a second peripheral signal, IGFBP-1, which may relate the availability of metabolic fuels to the control of reproduction.
Jenkins
P J
PJ
Department of Endocrinology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
Ibanez-Santos
X
X
Holly
J
J
Cotterill
A
A
Perry
L
L
Wolman
R
R
Harries
M
M
Grossman
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013177:Sports
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone