For seven weeks, 37 overweight adults followed a hypocaloric diet based on Orthodox Fasting (OF). A hypocaloric, time restricted eating (TRE) plan (eating between 08:00 to 16:00h, water fasting from 16:00 to 08:00h) was followed by 23 Body Mass Index (BMI)-matched participants. Anthropometric, glycaemic and inflammation markers and serum lipids were assessed before and after the diets. Both OF and TRE groups demonstrated reductions in BMI (28.54 ± 5.45 vs 27.20 ± 5.10 kg/m 2 , p<0.001 and 26.40 ± 4.11 vs 25.81 ± 3.78 kg/m 2 p=0.001, respectively). Following the intervention, the OF group presented lower concentrations of total and low-density lipoproteincholesterol, compared with the pre-fasting values (178.40 ± 34.14 vs 197.17 ± 34.30 mg/dl, p<0.001 and 105.89 ± 28.08 vs 122.37 ± 29.70 mg/dl, p<0.001, respectively).Neither group manifested significant differences in glycaemic and inflammatory parameters. Our findings suggest that OF has superior lipid lowering effects than the TRE pattern.

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Objective: Pregnancy represents a state of insulin resistance (IR). Vaspin (SERPINA12) is a novel insulin-sensitizing adipokine that might be implicated in endogenous glucose regulation. However, its role in pregnancy and its circulating levels have not been adequately studied. We aimed to evaluate serum vaspin levels in pregnancy and their correlation with known markers of IR. Design: A group of 106 women (age 27.9G0.4 years) at the 24-30th week of gestation (pregnancy group) and another 106 age-matched healthy non-pregnant controls (control group) were included in the study. Methods: Serum glucose, insulin, vaspin, adiponectin, and lipid parameters were measured. The quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) was used as an insulin sensitivity index. Results: Pregnant women had significantly higher body mass index (BMI), lipids, and serum insulin and lower serum glucose and vaspin levels than controls. Vaspin was positively correlated to adiponectin in both groups (P!0.001 and P!0.004 respectively) but was not correlated to BMI, serum insulin levels, or the QUICKI index in either group. Furthermore, vaspin was negatively correlated to lipid parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoproteins) in the pregnant but not in the non-pregnant women. Conclusions: Vaspin cannot serve as a marker of IR in either pregnant or non-pregnant women, although it is significantly correlated with adiponectin. On the other hand, vaspin might be useful as a surrogate marker of lipid metabolism in pregnancy if confirmed by subsequent studies.

Although strongly correlated with adiponectin, apelin cannot be used as a marker of insulin sensitivity, but it could serve as a marker of oxidative stress in pregnancy.

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Pregnancy is a state of insulin resistance, oxidative stress and pro-atherogenic hyperlipidemia. Adiponectin may, though, have cardioprotective role in pregnant women.

Male and female reproductive axis, comprised of hypothalamus, pituitary and gonads, present common features and differences, discussed in this review. These include the way hypothalamus regulates pituitary function, and the way pituitary, in turn, affects gonadal function. Finally, age plays an important role in axis regulation, in both genders.