title: Weight loss increases follicle stimulating hormone in overweight postmenopausal women [corrected].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the impact of a weight loss intervention upon follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in postmenopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were postmenopausal, overweight, glucose-intolerant women not using exogenous estrogen (n = 382) in the Diabetes Prevention Program. Women were randomized to intensive lifestyle change (ILS) with the goals of weight reduction of at least 7% of initial weight and 150 min per week of moderate-intensity exercise, metformin 850 mg twice a day, or placebo administered twice a day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Randomization to ILS led to small increases in FSH between baseline and 1-year follow-up vs. placebo (2.3 IU/l vs. -0.81 IU/l, P < 0.01). Increases in FSH were correlated with decreases in weight (r = -0.165, P < 0.01) and estradiol (E2) (r = -0.464, P < 0.0001) after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, and randomization arm. Changes in FSH were still significantly associated with changes in weight even after adjustment for E2 levels. Metformin users had reductions in weight but non-significant changes in FSH and E2 levels vs. placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight loss leads to small increases in FSH among overweight, postmenopausal women, potentially through pathways mediated by endogenous estrogen as well as other pathways.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Randolph
authors.forename: Sherita H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.forename: Fernand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Labrie
authors.forename: Shengchun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barrett-Connor
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D001835:Body Weight; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008687:Metformin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D008687:Metformin