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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Obesity and cortisol status
M Salehi1, A Ferenczi, B Zumoff
1Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10003, USA.
Hormone and Metabolic Research = Hormon- Und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones Et Metabolisme
|June 14, 2005
Summary
Obesity does not cause systemic hypercortisolism (excess cortisol). Instead, obese individuals show reduced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function. Tissue hypercortisolism in obesity remains unclear.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Hormone Physiology
Background:
- Obesity is a common feature of hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome).
- The reverse relationship, where hypercortisolism is a feature of obesity, has been investigated.
- Hypercortisolism can manifest as systemic (overall excess) or tissue (intracellular excess) forms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review literature on the relationship between obesity and hypercortisolism.
- To clarify the status of systemic and tissue cortisol in obesity.
- To evaluate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in obese individuals.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on obesity and hypercortisolism over 50 years.
- Analysis of systemic hypercortisolism parameters: cortisol production rate (CPR) corrected for urinary creatinine and 24-hour mean plasma cortisol concentration.
- Review of studies on tissue hypercortisolism, specifically the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11beta-HSD-1).
Main Results:
- Corrected CPR is normal in obese individuals.
- 24-hour mean plasma cortisol concentrations are slightly subnormal in obesity.
- Findings suggest diminished stimulability of the HPA axis in obesity.
- Evidence for tissue hypercortisolism via 11beta-HSD-1 in obesity is inconsistent and causality is unclear.
Conclusions:
- Obesity is not associated with systemic hypercortisolism.
- Obesity is linked to a diminished HPA axis response.
- The role of tissue hypercortisolism in obesity requires further investigation.
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