Korean J Fam Med.  2012 May;33(3):152-156. 10.4082/kjfm.2012.33.3.152.

High-normal Glucose Levels in Non-diabetic and Pre-diabetic Men Are Associated with Decreased Testosterone Levels

• Shin JY
• Park EK
• Park BJ
• Shim JY
• Lee HR

• KMID: 2235498
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.2012.33.3.152

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Testosterone levels are decreased in diabetic patients and recent studies have suggested that high-normal fasting glucose is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To further elucidate the relationship between plasma glucose and testosterone, we investigated the association between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and endogenous sex hormones (serum total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, estradiol, and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol) in non-diabetic and pre-diabetic men.
METHODS
This study included 388 men (age > or = 40 years) who visited the health promotion center of a university hospital from May 2007 to August 2008. The subjects were divided into quartiles based on their FPG levels and correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Q1 (65 mg/dL < or = FPG < 88 mg/dL), Q2 (88 mg/dL < or = FPG < 94 mg/dL), Q3 (94 mg/dL < or = FPG < 100 mg/dL) and Q4 (100 mg/dL < or = FPG < 126 mg/dL).
RESULTS
FPG was independently, inversely associated with total testosterone in the non-diabetic population after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol consumption (beta = -0.082, P < 0.01). Among the quartiles, subjects in the high-normal FPG groups (Q2, Q3, and Q4 with FPG > or = 88 mg/dL) had significantly decreased testosterone levels when compared with subjects in the normal FPG group (Q1 with FPG < 88 mg/dL, P < 0.005). Sex hormone binding globulin, estradiol and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol were not correlated with FPG.
CONCLUSION
Our study indicates that high-normal fasting glucose levels are associated with decreased testosterone levels in non-diabetic and pre-diabetic men.

Keyword

Glucose; Testosterone; Gonadal Steroid Hormones

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases
Estradiol
Fasting
Glucose
Gonadal Steroid Hormones
Health Promotion
Humans
Linear Models
Male
Plasma
Risk Factors
Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
Smoke
Smoking
Testosterone
Estradiol
Glucose
Gonadal Steroid Hormones
Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
Smoke
Testosterone