Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) and Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT)
Published on: January 7, 2018
Endogenous sex hormones and glucose tolerance status in postmenopausal women
Sherita Hill Golden1, Adrian S Dobs, Dhananjay Vaidya
1Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. sahill@jhmi.edu
Context:
In postmenopausal women, endogenous estradiol (E2) and free testosterone (T) have been positively associated with glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. Most studies have not examined these associations in a large group of postmenopausal women.
Objective:
The objective was to examine the association between endogenous sex hormones and glucose tolerance in postmenopausal women.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
This was a cross-sectional study of 1973 postmenopausal women ages 45-84 yr, not taking hormone replacement therapy, in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis baseline examination.
Main Outcome Measures:
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes were defined based on fasting blood sugar and/or treatment for diabetes. In women with normal glucose tolerance, insulin resistance was estimated using homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
Results:
Increasing quartiles of bioavailable T and E2 and decreasing quartiles of SHBG were associated with significantly increased odds of IFG and diabetes (all P for trend<0.001). Except for the association of bioavailable T with diabetes, the other associations persisted after multivariable adjustment. Although higher dehydroepiandrostenedione (DHEA) was associated with greater odds of IFG (P for trend=0.02), it was not associated with diabetes. Of 1100 women with normal glucose tolerance, E2 and DHEA were positively associated, and SHBG was inversely associated with HOMA-IR (all P<0.001) after multivariable adjustment. Bioavailable T was associated with HOMA-IR (P<0.001), but not fasting glucose.
Conclusion:
Of postmenopausal women, endogenous bioavailable T, E2, and DHEA were positively associated and SHBG was negatively associated with insulin resistance.
Related Concept Videos
Hormones Regulating Blood Glucose
In addition to accelerating glucose uptake and utilization, insulin has...
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
The Endocrine System
Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
Insulin and C-peptide are co-secreted in...
Glucagon-like Receptor Agonists
GLP-1, when administered in high doses intravenously, triggers insulin secretion, inhibits glucagon release, slows gastric emptying, reduces food intake, and restores normal insulin secretion. However, its rapid inactivation by the...
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
