title: Testosterone and obesity in men under the age of 40 years.
abstract: The study assessed anthropometric and laboratory variables, in particular testosterone (T) in a group of obese men of <40 years. Of 60 men with a body mass index (BMI) of >27 kg m(-2), 34 met the criteria of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Twenty men <40 years (with a BMI <25 kg m(-2)) were studied for comparison. It was found that with increasing BMI, levels of serum leptin, triglycerides, insulin, the ratio high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol/low-density liporotein (LDL) cholesterol, the waist circumference (WC), the area of visceral fat and systolic/diastolic blood pressure were higher, whereas insulin sensitivity (HOMA) and serum T were lower. Obesity (BMI 27-30 kg m(-2)) was associated with a decline in plasma T, but not with a decline in plasma sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). The latter was the case in more severe obesity (>30 kg m(-2)) qualifying as MS. In patients with MS, 58% variability of T levels could be predicted by combination of independent factors - SHBG, ratio LDL/HDL, insulin and leptin. On the other hand, in men with MS, 80% variance of concentrations of SHBG were predicted by triglycerides, HDL, glucose, leptin and surface of visceral adipose tissue. It is concluded that plasma T is significantly correlated with a number of features of the MS and, therefore, plasma T could serve as a marker of the MS.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia. goncharovn@endocrincentr.ru
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Goncharov
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Katsya
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Chagina
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Gooren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D013739:Testosterone