androstane-3-17-diol-glucuronide and Body-Weight

Fifty-one hirsute women were randomly treated for nine months with ethinyl estradiol 35 ug plus norethindrone 0.4 mg or 30 ug ethinyl estradiol plus 1.5 mg norethindrone acetate if they needed contraception or spironolactone 200 mg daily if they did not. Metabolic evaluations in response to therapy demonstrated triglyceride elevations with the two oral contraceptives but not with spironolactone. While systolic blood pressure was lower with spironolactone, fasting insulin levels were higher as opposed to either low-dose oral contraceptive preparation. Ethinyl estradiol 30 ug plus 1.5 mg norethindrone acetate lowered 3-alpha-diol glucuronide levels, yet ethinyl estradiol 35 ug plus norethindrone 0.4 mg and spironolactone were more effective in lowering Ferriman-Gallwey Scores. Treatment strategies for hirsute women need to consider metabolic consequences as well as efficacy.. 51 hirsute women were randomly treated for 9 months with ethinyl estradiol (EE) 35 mcg + norethindrone 0.4 mg or 30 mcg EE + 1.5 mg norethindrone acetate if contraception was necessary or spironolactone 200 mg daily if it was not. Metabolic evaluations in response to therapy demonstrated triglyceride elevations with the 2 oral contraceptives (OCs) but not with spironolactone. While systolic blood pressure was lower with it, fasting insulin levels were higher as opposed to either low-dose OC preparation. EE 30 mcg + 1.5 mg norethindrone acetate lowered 3-alpha-diol-glucuronide levels; however, E 35 mcg + norethindrone 0.4 mg and spironolactone were more effective in lowering Ferriman-Gallwey scores. Treatment strategies for hirsute women need to consider metabolic consequences as well as efficacy.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Androstane-3,17-diol; Blood Pressure; Body Weight; Cholesterol, HDL; Ethinyl Estradiol; Female; Hirsutism; Humans; Insulin; Norethindrone; Spironolactone; Testosterone

To evaluate the association between lifestyle and dietary factors and serum concentrations of androgens in middle-aged healthy men.. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the association of lifestyle factors with circulating concentrations of androstenedione (A-dione), 3-alpha-androstanediol glucuronide (A-diol-g), testosterone (T), SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), and free testosterone (FT) among 636 men in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition.. Compared with the youngest age group (40-49 years), the oldest (70-79 years) had a higher mean concentration of SHBG (by 44%) and lower mean concentrations of A-diol-g (by 29%) FT (19%). Men in the highest BMI group (> or =29.83 kg/m(2)) had a higher mean A-diol-g concentration (by 38%) and lower mean concentration of T (by 20%) SHBG (29%) compared with the lowest (<24.16 kg/m(2)). Current smokers had higher mean concentrations of T (by 13%), SHBG (14%), and A-dione (15%) compared with never smokers. Physical activity and dietary factors were not associated with androgen concentrations, although men in the highest fifth of alcohol intake had higher mean concentrations of A-dione (by 9%), FT (11%) compared with the lowest.. Our results suggest that age, body weight, smoking, and alcohol intake are associated with circulating androgen concentrations in men.

Topics: Age Factors; Alcoholic Beverages; Androgens; Androstane-3,17-diol; Androstenedione; Body Weight; Cross-Sectional Studies; Europe; Humans; Life Style; Male; Middle Aged; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Neoplasms; Nutritional Status; Prospective Studies; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; Smoking; Surveys and Questionnaires; Testosterone

There is currently much interest in measurements of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol glucuronide (AdiolG) as a marker of peripheral androgen metabolism. We have therefore developed an assay to measure serum AdiolG levels and report that mean concentrations in hirsute (2.9 +/- 1.9 nmol/l, mean +/- SD, n = 15) and non-hirsute (1.9 +/- 0.6 nmol/l, n = 7) women with polycystic ovaries do not differ significantly from concentrations in normal women (2.2 +/- 0.8 nmol/l, n = 20). However, a correlation was found between serum AdiolG levels and Body Mass Index (r = 0.48, P less than 0.05) for women with polycystic ovaries, suggesting that weight may be an important factor in determining concentrations of this steroid conjugate. Serum AdiolG levels were significantly reduced in hypothyroid women (0.6 +/- 0.4 nmol/l, n = 5) and women receiving oral contraceptive therapy (0.6 +/- 0.4 nmol/l, n = 28) but increased in hyperthyroid women (4.0 +/- 0.6 nmol/l, n = 5). The results from this study do not support the hypothesis that serum AdiolG levels provide a marker of peripheral androgen metabolism in hirsute women and show that it is essential to exclude from such investigations any women with thyroid abnormalities or receiving oral contraceptive therapy.

Topics: Adult; Androstane-3,17-diol; Androstanols; Body Height; Body Weight; Contraceptives, Oral; Dihydrotestosterone; Female; Hirsutism; Humans; Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; Thyroid Diseases