help button home button Endocrine Society JCEM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a related Letter to the Editor
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Copyright Permission
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Couillard, C.
Right arrow Articles by Bouchard, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Couillard, C.
Right arrow Articles by Bouchard, C.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 85, No. 3 1026-1031
Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society

Original Studies

Contribution of Body Fatness and Adipose Tissue Distribution to the Age Variation in Plasma Steroid Hormone Concentrations in Men: The HERITAGE Family Study1

Charles Couillard, Jacques Gagnon, Jean Bergeron, Arthur S. Leon2, D. C. Rao, James S. Skinner, Jack H. Wilmore, Jean-Pierre Després3 and Claude Bouchard4

Lipid Research Center, CHUQ Research Center (C.C., J.B., J.-P.D.), and Physical Activity Sciences Laboratory, Laval University (J.G., J.-P.D., C.B.); School of Kinesiology and Leisure Studies (A.S.L.), Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada G1V 4G2; University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455; Division of Biostatistics (D.C.R.) and Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics (D.C.R), Washington University Medical School, St. Louis, Missouri 63130; Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University (J.S.S.), Bloomington, Indiana 47405; and Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A & M University (J.H.W.), College Station, Texas 77843

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Jean-Pierre Després, Ph.D., Lipid Research Center, CHUQ Research Center, CHUL Pavilion, 2705 boulevard Laurier, Room TR-93, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada G1V 4G2. E-mail: jean-pierre.despres{at}crchul.ulaval.ca

Obesity has been associated with alterations in plasma steroid hormone concentrations in men. Older men present an altered steroid hormone profile compared to younger individuals, and an increase in body fatness and changes in adipose tissue (AT) distribution are noted with advancing age. Thus, there is a need to examine the relative importance of increased body fatness and changes in AT distribution with advancing age to plasma steroid hormone and sex hormone-binding globulin levels in men. We, therefore, investigated the relationships among age, body fatness, AT distribution, and the plasma steroid hormone profile in a group of 217 Caucasian men (mean age ± SD, 36.2 ± 14.9 yr) who covered a wide age range (17–64 yr). Compared to young adult men, older men were characterized by increased adiposity (P < 0.0001) expressed either as body mass index or total body fat mass assessed by underwater weighing. Differences in AT distribution were also noted with a preferential accumulation of abdominal fat as indicated by a larger waist girth (P < 0.0001) and higher visceral AT accumulation (P < 0.0001), measured by computed tomography, in older subjects. Age was associated with decreases (P < 0.0001) in C19 adrenal steroid levels, namely reduced dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA fatty acid ester, DHEA sulfate, as well as androstenedione levels. Androgens, i.e. dihydrotestosterone and testosterone, were also affected by age, with lower levels of both steroids being found in older individuals (P < 0.0005). When statistical adjustment for body fatness and AT distribution was performed, differences in C19 adrenal steroids between the age groups remained significant, whereas differences in androgens and sex hormone-binding globulin concentrations were no longer significant. The present study suggests that age-related differences in plasma steroid hormone levels, especially androgens, are partly mediated by concomitant variation in adiposity in men.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
L. Frederiksen, T. L. Nielsen, K. Wraae, C. Hagen, J. Frystyk, A. Flyvbjerg, K. Brixen, and M. Andersen
Subcutaneous Rather than Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Resistance in Young Men
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2009; 94(10): 4010 - 4015.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
C. Koutsari, A. H. Ali, K. S. Nair, R. A. Rizza, P. O'Brien, S. Khosla, and M. D. Jensen
Fatty Acid Metabolism in the Elderly: Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone and Testosterone Replacement in Hormonally Deficient Men and Women
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2009; 94(9): 3414 - 3423.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
E. Barrett-Connor, T.-T. Dam, K. Stone, S. L. Harrison, S. Redline, E. Orwoll, and for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study Group
The Association of Testosterone Levels with Overall Sleep Quality, Sleep Architecture, and Sleep-Disordered Breathing
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2008; 93(7): 2602 - 2609.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
C. A. Allan, B. J. G. Strauss, H. G. Burger, E. A. Forbes, and R. I. McLachlan
Testosterone Therapy Prevents Gain in Visceral Adipose Tissue and Loss of Skeletal Muscle in Nonobese Aging Men
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., January 1, 2008; 93(1): 139 - 146.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
L. Vandenput, D. Mellstrom, M. Lorentzon, C. Swanson, M. K. Karlsson, J. Brandberg, L. Lonn, E. Orwoll, U. Smith, F. Labrie, et al.
Androgens and Glucuronidated Androgen Metabolites Are Associated with Metabolic Risk Factors in Men
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., November 1, 2007; 92(11): 4130 - 4137.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
T. L. Nielsen, C. Hagen, K. Wraae, K. Brixen, P. H. Petersen, E. Haug, R. Larsen, and M. Andersen
Visceral and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Relation to Circulating Androgens, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, and Luteinizing Hormone in Young Men
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2007; 92(7): 2696 - 2705.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Clin. Cancer Res.Home page
M. R. Smith
Obesity and Sex Steroids during Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonist Treatment for Prostate Cancer
Clin. Cancer Res., January 1, 2007; 13(1): 241 - 245.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur J EndocrinolHome page
J. J. Hernandez-Morante, F. Milagro, J. A. Gabaldon, J. A. Martinez, S. Zamora, and M. Garaulet
Effect of DHEA-sulfate on adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue from different fat depots in morbidly obese humans.
Eur. J. Endocrinol., October 1, 2006; 155(4): 593 - 600.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
J. M. Kaufman and A. Vermeulen
The Decline of Androgen Levels in Elderly Men and Its Clinical and Therapeutic Implications
Endocr. Rev., October 1, 2005; 26(6): 833 - 876.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
G. Apostolova, R. A. S. Schweizer, Z. Balazs, R. M. Kostadinova, and A. Odermatt
Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibits the amplification of glucocorticoid action in adipose tissue
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, May 1, 2005; 288(5): E957 - E964.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Physiol. GenomicsHome page
S. E. Riechman, T. J. Fabian, P. D. Kroboth, and R. E. Ferrell
Steroid sulfatase gene variation and DHEA responsiveness to resistance exercise in MERET
Physiol Genomics, May 19, 2004; 17(3): 300 - 306.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
R. Luboshitzky, Z. Shen-Orr, and P. Herer
Middle-Aged Men Secrete Less Testosterone at Night Than Young Healthy Men
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., July 1, 2003; 88(7): 3160 - 3166.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Endocr. Rev.Home page
F. C. W. Wu and A. von Eckardstein
Androgens and Coronary Artery Disease
Endocr. Rev., April 1, 2003; 24(2): 183 - 217.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
N. Abate, S. M. Haffner, A. Garg, R. M. Peshock, and S. M. Grundy
Sex Steroid Hormones, Upper Body Obesity, and Insulin Resistance
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., October 1, 2002; 87(10): 4522 - 4527.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
P. Kunelius, O. Lukkarinen, M. L. Hannuksela, O. Itkonen, and J. S. Tapanainen
The Effects of Transdermal Dihydrotestosterone in the Aging Male: A Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind Study
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., April 1, 2002; 87(4): 1467 - 1472.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical SciencesHome page
A. M. Matsumoto
Andropause: Clinical Implications of the Decline in Serum Testosterone Levels With Aging in Men
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., February 1, 2002; 57(2): M76 - 99.
[Full Text]

Home page
 J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab.Home page
A. Vermeulen
Androgen Replacement Therapy in the Aging Male--A Critical Evaluation
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., June 1, 2001; 86(6): 2380 - 2390.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Endocrinology Endocrine Reviews J. Clin. End. & Metab.
Molecular Endocrinology Recent Prog. Horm. Res. All Endocrine Journals
Copyright © 2000 by The Endocrine Society