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Glucose Tolerance in Women: The Effects of Age, Body Composition, and Sex Hormones
Author(s) -
Busby M. Janette,
Bellantoni Michele F.,
Tobin Jordan D.,
Muller Denis C.,
Kafonek Stephanie D.,
Blackman Marc R.,
Andres Reubin
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb02018.x
Subject(s) - medicine , hormone , composition (language) , physiology , endocrinology , philosophy , linguistics
Objective To determine the separate and interactive effects of age, phase of the menstrual cycle, menopausal hormone status, body fat mass, and regional fat distribution on glucose tolerance in healthy women. Design Retrospective study. Setting The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Patients Two hundred sixty healthy women aged 22–89 years. Measurements Plasma levels of estradiol and progesterone, body mass index (BMI), waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), and plasma glucose values in the fasting state (FPG) as well as 120 minutes after 40 gm/m 2 of oral glucose (G 120 ) were measured for each participant. Results We found a progressive decline in oral glucose tolerance of 0.4 m m (6.7 mg/dL)/decade at G 120 ) in women from early to late adult years, with no relationship to phase of the menstrual cycle and no abrupt change associated with the menopause. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant, independent effects of BMI and WHR on FPG and G 120 . The influence of age ( P < 0.01) on G 120 was stronger than that of the BMI or WHR ( P < 0.05). There was no significant relationship between the levels of endogenous sex hormones and glucose tolerance after adjustments for age, BMI, and WHR. However, women taking oral contraceptives, but not those receiving postmenopausal replacement therapy, did exhibit mildly elevated G 120 values. Conclusions Age per se, and to a lesser extent BMI and WHR, but not levels of endogenous sex steroids, contribute to the physiological decline in glucose tolerance in older women.