Visceral fat accumulation in men is positively associated with insulin, glucose, and C-peptide levels, but negatively with testosterone levels

Jacob C. Seidell*, Per Björntorp, Lars Sjöström, Henry Kvist, Rune Sannerstedt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Twenty-three healthy men (age 25 to 50 years), covering a wide range of fatness and body fat distribution, were studied. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed and adipose tissue areas were calculated from computed tomography (CT) scans made at the level of L4 L5. Visceral fat area was associated with elevated concentrations of insulin and C-peptide and with glucose intolerance before and after the oral glucose load. Concentrations of sex-hormone-binding glubolin (SHBG), as well as total and free testosterone, were negatively correlated with waist/hip circumference ratio and visceral fat area and also negatively associated with increased glucose, insulin, and C-peptide concentrations. In multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, body mass index, and visceral fat area, serum concentrations of free testosterone were still negatively correlated with glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels. Without claiming any causality in the observed associations, we conclude that, unlike in women, abdominal fat distribution, insulin, glucose, and C-peptide levels are negatively associated with serum testosterone levels in men.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)897-901
Number of pages5
JournalMetabolism, Clinical and Experimental
Volume39
Issue number9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1990

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