Excretion of individual adrenocortical steroids in obese children

Abstract

946. Excretion of individual adrenocortical steroids in obese children. The excretion of 13 individual adrenocortical metabolites in the urine of 21 obese children aged 7 months to 16 years is reported. Fractionation of the steroids was carried out on 24-hour samples of urine by paper chromatography using Bush systems and incorporating a radioactive steroid recovery technique. The excretion of the 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and of the oc-ketolic metabolites of cortisol and corticosterone exceeded that of normal children studied in the same manner. These differences persisted when the results were corrected for surface area but were eliminated by correction for body weight. The raised corticosteroid excretion in obese children is therefore related to the increased weight. In addition the excessive calorie intake enhances the hepatic metabolism of cortisol leading to an increased corticosteroid excretion.The excretion of the 17-oxosteroids and 11-deoxygenated-17-oxosteroids exceeded that of normal children. Before puberty these steroids represent the adrenal androgens, and the raised excretion in the obese children was associated with an advanced bone age. The early onset of puberty in obesity may be related to the increased body weight, but it is suggested that the increased adrenal androgen secretion may stimulate early maturation of the hypothalamic centre controlling the onset of puberty.

Steroid Metabolism in Children and Adolescents With Obesity and Insulin Resistance: Altered SRD5A and 20α/20βHSD Activity

“…As early as 1974, Savage et al. found significantly higher excretion of 17OH-corticosteroid derivatives and cortisol metabolites in obese children compared to their norm-weight coevals ( 52 ). Similar observation was described a few years later by Juricskay and Molnár, who showed increased elimination of cortisol metabolites, pregnenediol and pregnanolone together with increased excretion of adrenal androgens in obese children ( 53 , 54 ).…”

The Effect of Simple Obesity on Growth and Growth Hormone

“…In obese children the urinary excretion of corticoste roids is increased [18]. The results are normal when relat ed to body weight and in most cases to surface area.…”

Breast cancer in relation to overnutrition

“…Finally, excessive cholesterol may serve as precursor for increased ovarian and adrenocortical steroid synthesis (estrogens, androgens, cortisoI) and thereby support the development of breast cancer (4) significantly lower than obesity (,o<0.1) b significantly higher than controls (p<0.01) and obesity (p<0.1) significantly lower than controls p -~ 0.02) Data from Fishman et al [15] per cent of the uterotrophic activity of estradiol [15]. In obese premenopausal women not only adrenocortical androgen and cortisol secretion were increased [30], but also menses were often irregular and cystic breast disease existed due to anovulation in many of these patients [23,24,31]. In women with anovulatory cycles, the estrogens are not adequately opposed by progesterone and this may increase the risk of breast cancer [31].…”