Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, body fat distribution and insulin in obese men

Sex steroid hormones may be involved in determining body fat distribution in men. Recent evidence suggests that insulin may be an important regulator of sex hormones metabolism in men. Few data, however, are available on the relationship of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-SO4), a major secretory product of the adrenal gland, to regional distribution of body fat or to insulin levels in men. We therefore examined the association of DHEA-SO4, total testosterone and free testosterone to waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and to subscapular-to-triceps ratio (STR) in 34 obese, otherwise healthy men. In addition, we examined the relation between these sex steroid hormones and insulin response to an oral glucose tolerance test. DHEA-SO4 was significantly positively related to STR and significantly negatively related to insulin area. These associations remained significant after adjustment for age and obesity. Using multiple linear regression, DHEA-SO4 was independently related to both STR and insulin area. Without claiming any causality in the observed associations, we conclude that, in obese men, high DHEA-SO4 levels are related to centralized adiposity, while low DHEA-SO4 levels are related to hyperinsulinemia.