Divergent effects of short-term, very-low-calorie diet on insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 serum concentrations in premenopausal women with obesity.
OBJECTIVE
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) serum concentrations provide a good measure of the biological effects of growth hormone. The aims of the present study were to: (1) investigate the associations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 with body fat mass and distribution, and (2) evaluate the effects of 3 weeks of very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) (318 kcal/day, with 40 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, and 2 g fat) on IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum concentrations.


METHODS
The study was performed in 21 nondiabetic premenopausal women with obesity (body mass index >27.0 kg/m2; age: ranging from 18 to 48 years). Body fat mass and distribution were measured by computed tomography.


RESULTS
Before dietary treatment, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum concentrations were inversely associated with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area (p<0.005 and p<0.05, respectively), but not with either total body fat or subcutaneous adipose tissue area. VLCD produced a significant decrease of body mass index (p<0.001), total body fat (p<0.001), VAT (p<0.005), subcutaneous adipose tissue (p<0.001), IGF-I concentrations (p<0.05), and an increase of IGFBP-3 serum levels (p<0.001). The association of VAT with either IGF-I or IGFBP-3 serum concentrations was not maintained following VLCD.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that visceral adipose tissue, rather than adiposity per se, accounts for IGF-I and IGFBP-3 serum concentrations, and that rapid weight loss, possibly due to nutritional changes, results in lower IGF-I concentrations, higher IGFBP-3 concentrations, and abrogation of the inverse associations of VAT with IGF-I and IGFBP-3.
De Pergola
G
G
Istituto di Clinica Medica, Endocrinologia e Malattie Metaboliche, University of Bari, Italy.
Zamboni
M
M
Pannacciulli
N
N
Turcato
E
E
Giorgino
F
F
Armellini
F
F
Logoluso
F
F
Sciaraffia
M
M
Bosello
O
O
Giorgino
R
R
D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D017697:Premenopause; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014781:Viscera
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I