Sex differences in the adrenergic response to hypoglycemic stress in human

Abstract

We have found different patterns of adrenergic response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in men and women. The differences involve the readiness of adrenergic reactivity, the magnitude of the responses, and the nature of secreted amines. In men, a strong and transient discharge of epinephrine (E) is observed in plasma, corresponding to a great increase in the urinary level of this amine in the 2 h period following insulin. In women, the adrenergic response is delayed and consists of moderately increased amounts of E and norepinephrine (NE) which persist in plasma for a longer period. From the correlations observed between urinary amount and the increase of plasmatic catecholamines after 30, 45, and 60 min, it may be assumed that urinary data may reflect the cumulative plasma levels of catecholamines in the corresponding period, but not the precise pattern of plasmatic changes. Our findings show that the differences in adrenergic behavior previously observed in men and women under the effect of psychological stress, may also be induced by a metabolic stimulus such a insulin hypoglycemia; however, women, but not men, exhibit a mild release of NE under this metabolic stress.

Sex-differences in catecholamine metabolites in human urine during development and at adulthood

“…Our data in NE, E and VMA excre-tion in boys and girls agree with those of previous authors (Hakulinen, 1971;Johansson, 1972;Matsaniotis et aL, 1968). In adult subjects, the sex-difference in NE and E excretion is still questioned: urinary levels in women have been found either equal (Levi, 1972) or lower (Lambert et aL, 1969) under normal activity, or equal (Claustre et al, 1980) or higher (Cuche et aL, 1975) during recumbency. For the basal E excretion, our present results are in agreement with those of Becker and Kreuzer (1970), Claustre et al (1980) and Levi (1972) showing lower E excretion in women.…”

“…] Sanchez et aL, 1980). All authors agree that, in situations of active psychoemotional (Johansson and Frankenhaeuser, 1973;Levi, 1972), or physical (Sanchez et aL, 1980) or metabolic stress (Claustre et aL, 1980), the sympathoadrenal system of women responds less intensely and later than those of men, or even not at all.…”

“…Few metabolic studies have been done on sex differences in catecholamine metabolism during life (Hakulinen, 1971;Johansson, 1972;yohansson and Post, 1972). Although conflicting views have been obtained for sex influence on basal levels of plasma or urine catecholamines (Becker and Kreuzer, 1970;Claustre et al, 1980;Johansson and Post, 1972;Kdrki, 1956;Lambert et al, 1969;Sanchez et al, 1980) several investigators have pointed out differences in adrenosympathetic reactivity of men and women to various stressors (Claustre et al, 1980;Cuche et aL, 1975;Frankenhaeuser et aL, 1976;. ] Sanchez et aL, 1980).…”

“…Influence of sexual hormones, or availability of energetic substrates in plasma (glucose, free fatty acids) or tissues (glycogen, lipids), or differences in central mechanisms regulating the peripheral adrenergic activity (Claustre et aL, 1980) have been evoked as alternative explanations.…”

The Effect of Ethanol (Alcohol) and Stress on Plasma Catecholamine Levels in Individual Female and Male Rats

“…Females also appear to respond to ethanol with a greater temporal redistribution or delay of the stress response than males, although both show an overall reduction. This is indeed supported by clinical studies which have shown that men and women might differ in their responses to stress alone [4,11,18,24] and to alcohol [19,23], This might be the result of a different stress response regulation [6. 27], Thus, results obtained with either sex can only be par tially extrapolated to the other, and more studies incor porating both sexes are needed.…”