Metabolic profile and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in different reproductive phases of Czech women and their relations to weight, body composition and fat distribution

In our study, 213 healthy Czech women aged 20 to 65 yearswere examined and divided into fully reproductive,premenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal groups. In allsubjects body composition was determined by classicalanthropometry and metabolic profile was assessed. A total of 146subjects completed 3-year longitudinal study. Total and LDLcholesterol increased and ratio HDL/total cholesterol decreasedwith age (p<0.001), most significantly in menopause.Triacylglycerols increased only up to menopause. HDL had a veryslight trend to decrease in menopause and postmenopause.Fasting blood glucose level increased progressively (p<0.001), inpostmenopause frequently exceeded normal range. Higher BMI,total fat mass and central fat indices were associated with highertotal and LDL cholesterol, triacylglycerols, C-peptide, insulin andfasting blood glucose level (p<0.001; fasting blood glucose levelto waist-to-hip ratio: p<0.01) and lower HDL cholesterol(p<0.001). Higher C-peptide and insulin were associated withlower HDL cholesterol and higher triacylglycerols (p<0.001).Fasting glucose correlated with LDL cholesterol (p<0.01). HigherSHBG was associated with higher HDL and lower LDL cholesterol(p<0.001). Hormone replacement treatment was related to lowerfasting blood glucose level in postmenopausal women (p<0.01).Oral contraception is suggestive of a positive influence on lipidspectrum by increasing the ratio HDL/total cholesterol. Markersof lipid and carbohydrate metabolism are not only age-related,but they are also related to BMI, total fat mass and central fatindices. Therefore, preventive programs should be focused aboveall on menopausal women.