Gonadotropins at Advanced Age - Perhaps They Are Not So Bad? Correlations Between Gonadotropins and Sarcopenia Indicators in Older Adults

Abstract

Many hormones fluctuate during the aging process. It has been suggested that gonadotropins, which increase with age, contribute to the occurrence of many diseases and syndromes in older life, such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, frailty syndrome and osteoporosis. This study aims to assess the relationship between circulating gonadotropins and other hormones potentially contributing to age-related functional decline and sarcopenia indicators in 39 male and 61 female community-dwelling seniors, mean age 80 years. According to the definition developed by the second European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2), the following indicators of the sarcopenia were assessed: bioimpedance-measured body composition, gait speed, handgrip strength, timed up and go test (TUG), chair stand test, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) and cortisol were also measured. In the men, FSH and partially LH correlated positively with muscle mass percentage, gait speed, handgrip strength and SPPB, and negatively with percent body fat. Additionally, testosterone and DHEAS correlated negatively with the percentage of fat mass in men. Whereas in the women, FSH and LH were mainly negatively associated with body mass and adipose tissue measures. Cortisol did not show any relationship with the examined indicators. The study shows that the indicators of sarcopenia are strongly associated with levels of gonadotropins, sex hormones and DHEAS, especially in older men. The obtained results, after being confirmed in a larger group, may modify prevention and treatment strategies of sarcopenia.

Determination of skeletal muscle mass by aspartate aminotransferase / alanine aminotransferase ratio, insulin and FSH in Chinese women with sarcopenia

“…These results showed that FSH was a good indicator for appendicular lean mass in women, and the effects of FSH were prominent. However, other studies demonstrated that strong associations were observed in the men, whereas in the women there was no association between FSH and muscle mass [ 15 , 28 ]. Thus, further studies for FSH on muscle mass, muscle strength and function should be explored in the future day.…”

“…1 Receiver operating characteristic curves of different biochemical indicators in skeletal muscle mass. AST/ALT, alanine aminotransferase to aspartate aminotransferase ratio; FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; PA, prealbumin; A/G, albumin to globulin ratio; FT4, free tetraiodothyronine; PTC, adrenal cortisol associations were observed in the men, whereas in the women there was no association between FSH and muscle mass [15,28]. Thus, further studies for FSH on muscle mass, muscle strength and function should be explored in the future day.…”

Disorders in connections of the hypothalamic-pituitarygonadal axis in rats with Guerin’s carcinoma against the background of induced hypothyroidism

“…There are reference literature data indicating that an imbalance in the ratio of tropic hormones and the prevalence of one over another can lead to some pathological reactions, in particular as follows: an increase in the FSH levels can be one of the unfavorable factors that enhance the risk of cardiovascular diseases and promote carcinogenesis, while LH can contribute to mental retardation and Alzheimer's disease [21,22,23].…”

Androstenedione and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Concentration Predict the Progression of Frailty Syndrome at One Year Follow-Up in Patients with Localized Breast Cancer Treated with Aromatase Inhibitors

“…The role of FSH in frailty syndrome has not been investigated in humans, but it seems to be related to bone and anthropometric alterations also found in frailty syndrome. For instance, in animal models, blockade of FSH action increases bone mass [ 60 , 61 , 62 ] and decreases fat mass [ 60 , 63 , 64 ], and it has been postulated that increased circulating FSH levels may be another strong factor mediating the decrease in skeletal muscle mass during the menopausal transition [ 64 ]. In a population-based study of older postmenopausal women, it was shown that those with higher gonadotropin FSH values (the highest quartile) had lower bone mineral density, lower body weight, less visceral adipose tissue, but also less lean mass [ 65 ].…”