Growth and obesity and its association with plasma level of steroid hormones and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in Slovak female students

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of the present study was to examine the possible role of steroid hormones and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I) in the control of human growth and obesity. We measured plasma level of progesterone, testosterone, estradiol and IGF-I in 301 young women at different stages of their ovarian cycle, and compared them to the standard morphometric indexes of their growth and obesity -body height, body weight, abdomen circumstance and waist to hip ratio (WHR). The ovarian cycle-dependent changes in plasma progesterone and estradiol, but not in testosterone and IGF-I level were found. Young women with higher body height had significantly higher plasma level of estradiol, testosterone and IGF-I, but not of progesterone, compared to subjects with lower body height in both follicular and luteal phases of the ovarian cycle. Subjects with a higher body weight had signifi cantly higher plasma estradiol and progesterone, but not testosterone and IGF-I than subjects with lower body weight in both follicular and luteal phases of ovarian cycle. Women with a higher abdomen circumference had signifi cantly lower plasma estradiol, but not the other hormones than the subjects with lower abdomen circumference. Women with higher WHR index had signifi cantly higher plasma level of estradiol, but not other hormones than subjects with lower WHR index in both follicular and luteal phases of ovarian cycle. The present observations suggests: (1) that luteal phase of the women ovarian cycle is characterised by a dramatically increase in both progesterone and estradiol, but not in testosterone and IGF-I release, (2) that in human females growth can be up-regulated by testosterone, estradiol and IGF-I, but not by progesterone, (3) that body mass can be up-regulated by progesterone and estradiol, but not by testosterone or IGF-I, and (4) that women obesity (high WHR, but not abdomen circumference) can be promoted by estradiol, but not by other steroid hormones or Fig. 4, Ref. 45). Full Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

Obesity induced by cafeteria diet disrupts fertility in the rat by affecting multiple ovarian targets

“…Oestradiol is produced by the granulosa cells of the follicles during reproductive years, and the effect of obesity on its synthesis is controversial. Some authors have described obese women showing higher oestradiol concentrations than normal-weight patients (Zatko et al, 2013) while others have found that obese patients have lower oestradiol concentrations (Rehman et al, 2012;Rochester et al, 2009;Ross et al, 2014;Santoro et al, 2004), with a possible direct inhibitory effect of body mass on gonadotrophin and oestradiol production (De Pergola et al, 2006). In agreement with these latter findings, in this study it was found that obese CAF-fed animals showed decreased serum oestradiol concentrations.…”

Overweight and urban pollution: Preliminary results

“…) (Flier and Maratos-Flier, 2005;Lovejoy, 1998;Markova et al, 2014). Among these factors the literature highlights the role of sex hormones and their physiological fluctuations during the female reproductive cycle (Lovejoy, 1998;Zatko et al, 2013). The women who perform outdoor duties are exposed to several substances present in the urban pollution which may interfere with the normal levels of hormones, as suggested by some of our studies (Caciari et al, 2013;Ciarrocca et al, 2006Ciarrocca et al, , 2011Monti et al, 2006).…”

Bio-behavioral model of aggression in autism spectrum disorders-pilot study

“…These measurements are based on subjective evaluation in scales/inventories completed by tested individuals or on rankings provided by caregivers/parents (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). In our pilot study we used specifi c method for assessments of aggressive behavior-functional behavioral assessment based on principles of applied behavioral analysis (ABA) (31).…”

“…The literature also suggests that testosterone may be involved in the etiology of aggression in humans as another contributing biological factor. Testosterone is a male sex hormone, but in fact, it regulates sexual arousal and many other processes in both genders (13). Several studies have examined the relationship between salivary/plasmatic testosterone levels and aggression in various populations with mixed results.…”