Sex Differences of Endogenous Sex Hormones and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

This systematic review indicates that endogenous sex hormones may differentially modulate glycemic status and risk of type 2 diabetes in men and women. High testosterone levels are associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes in women but with lower risk in men; the inverse association of SHBG with risk was stronger in women than in men.

Sex hormones correlate with heart rate variability in healthy women and this correlation is conserved in women with well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus

“…In the group comparisons, there are no significant differences in sex hormone levels between healthy women and women with T2DM, suggesting that endocrine regulation is preserved in women with well-controlled T2DM. Some studies that included both men and women found differences in testosterone and estrogen levels between healthy controls and patients with T2DM [ 41 , 42 ], particularly in postmenopausal women with T2DM and age-matched men with T2DM [ 43 ], which is contrary to the present results. These differences in sex hormone levels may be due that the women with T2DM in this study were all well-controlled, while the literature includes diabetic patients with a variety of health conditions.…”

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and related factors among the general adult population in Saudi Arabia between 2016–2022: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cross-sectional studies

“…However, the size and location of the study population (urban or rural), the age of the participants, the study's year, and the sampling strategy can all impact each nation's estimated prevalence. For instance, contrary to the findings of the present investigation, other studies have demonstrated the role of the sex [31] and smoking [32][33][34] in the development of T2DM. Contrary to this study, a subsequent investigation also found that weight increase upon smoking cessation was a significant factor in developing T2DM.…”

Sex hormones and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A 9‐year follow up among elderly men in Finland

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Probably due to that, the results of the present study were inconsistent with the results of some earlier studies. Both T and fT were independent predictors of incident T2DM, even after additional adjustment of SHBG.…”

“…In earlier studies, the association of sex hormones and T2DM were studied among younger men, although in many studies elderly men also were included in the analyses. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Probably due to that, the results of the present study were inconsistent with the results of some earlier studies. 1,3,5,6 Because T is dependent on SHBG, it has been suggested that SHBG might be more important than T, either as a risk marker for or as a contributor to the development of T2DM.…”