Gonadotropins and steroid hormones in older people: their mutual connections and relations to body mass indices

Abstract

Introduction: Aging in mammals, including man, is accompanied by deep changes in hormone secretion. In the majority of cases, hormone secretion (mostly of gonadal steroids and adrenocortical hormone dehydroepiandrosterone-DHEA) undergoes pronounced decrease. This decrease is thought to contribute to the progression of aging. In contrast, the secretion of gonadotropins is sharply increased in older adults, as a result of gonadal deficiency. Recent data indicate that gonadotropin excess may also, by itself, influence the aging process. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mutual relation between steroid hormones and gonadotropins and their effect on body mass indices in older people. Material and methods: In a group of 100 patients (61 women and 39 men) aged over 75 years, blood serum concentrations of folliclestimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), oestradiol (E2), testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAs), and cortisol were measured. All the patients were measured for the following: body weight (kg), body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2), and waist-to-height ratio (WtHR). The differences of the numerical data were evaluated by Student's t-test and the correlations between them by means of Pearson's test. Results and conclusions: The most interesting finding of this study was to show that FSH and LH are negatively correlated with body mass and indices such as BMI and WtHR in older women. Because in older women the mediation of ovary is unlikely, we conclude that gonadotropins may influence the body mass by their direct extra-gonadal action.

Gonadotropins at Advanced Age - Perhaps They Are Not So Bad? Correlations Between Gonadotropins and Sarcopenia Indicators in Older Adults

“…However, the women surveyed by the said authors were much younger than those examined in our study. A similar discrepancy of FSH levels in relation to age (early postmenopausal vs. very advanced age) seems to occur in the case of a relation of FSH to the fat tissue mass, reported both by Liu et al and in our study (28,37). Likewise, in a three-year prospective study of 162 women and 158 men (mean age 82 years), there was no evidence for an association between the baseline FSH level and change in bone mineral density (BMD) and body fat (38).…”

“…The analysis showed that the tested hormones showed few relationships with each other. These correlations were presented in an earlier paper (28). FSH and LH positively correlated with each other in both sex groups.…”

“…The study population comprised properly-nourished senior citizens, without a disability, presenting hormonal changes typical for their age. The mutual relationships between the tested hormones have been described in our previous publications (27,28). The indicators of sarcopenia have been chosen according to the definition and diagnostic criteria for the disease, as proposed by the second European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) (20).…”

“…The measurements were performed with the use of kits produced by Saluggia (Italy or Stillwater, MN, USA) on a LIAISON XL analyzer from DiaSorin Inc. The expected values and precisions of the assays with the LIAISON XL analyzer are presented in our previous publications (27,28).…”

Direct actions of gonadotropins beyond the reproductive system and their role in human aging and neoplasia [Bezpośrednie działanie gonadotropin poza układem rozrodczym i ich rola w starzeniu się i nowotworzeniu u człowieka]

“…They described also the positive correlation of FSH and body mass index (BMI) in postmenopausal women. Recently, we have found the negative correlations of both FSH and LH with BMI in old women [46], but our patients were much older (> 75 years) than those investigated by Liu et al (51-55 years). It cannot be excluded that in more advanced age the function of gonadotropin receptors is shifted towards lipolysis.…”