Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Thyroid hormones are positively associated with insulin resistance early in the development of type 2 diabetes

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Endocrine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Thyroid hormones have generally been found normal in diabetic patients. The question of whether variation within the euthyroid range influences insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes remains to be established. To investigate this, a meal was given to four groups: 17 healthy volunteers (controls), 22 first-degree relatives of type 2 diabetic subjects (relatives), 15 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 24 subjects with overt type 2 diabetes (DM). Blood was drawn for 360 min for measurements of glucose and insulin. Plasma-free-T4(FT4) and plasma-free-T3(FT3) levels were measured. Fasting and postprandial insulin resistance was assessed by HOMA-IR and ISI indices, respectively. FT4 levels were found to be lower in controls (13.73 ± 0.48 pmol/l) than relatives, IGT, and DM (15.33 ± 0.52, 16.13 ± 0.65, and 17.7 ± 0.85 pmol/l, respectively, P = 0.007). FT3 levels were lower in controls (3.68 ± 0.09 pmol/l) than in relatives, IGT, and DM (4.35 ± 0.1, 4.8 ± 0.067, and 4.87 ± 0.11 pmol/l, respectively, P = 0.001). HOMA-IR was positively associated with FT4 and FT3 levels (β-co-efficient = 1.876 ± 0.476, P = 0.001; and 0.406 ± 0.090, P = 0.001, respectively). ISI was negatively associated with FT4 and FT3 levels (β-co-efficient = −0.051 ± 0.009, P = 0.001 and −0.009 ± 0.002, P = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, increases of thyroid hormone levels within the normal range associate positively with insulin resistance. These data suggest that thyroid hormones may be part of the pathogenetic mechanism to explain metabolic derangement early in the development of type 2 diabetes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S.R. Kim, E.S. Tull, E.O. Talbott, M.T. Vogt, L.H. Kuller, A hypothesis of synergism: the interrelationship of T3 and insulin to disturbances in metabolic homeostasis. Med. Hypotheses 59, 650–666 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  2. A. Wennlund, P. Felig, L. Hagenfeldt, J. Warhen, Hepatic glucose production and splanchnic glucose exchange in hyperthyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 62, 174–180 (1986)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. G. Dimitriadis, B. Baker, H. Marsh, L. Mandarino, R. Rizza, R. Bergman et al., Effect of thyroid hormone excess on action, secretion, and metabolism of insulin in humans. Am. J. Physiol. 248, 593–601 (1985)

    Google Scholar 

  4. G. Dimitriadis, P. Mitrou, V. Lambadiari, E. Boutati, E. Maratou, E. Koukkou et al., Glucose and lipid fluxes in the adipose tissue after meal ingestion in hyperthyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 1112–1118 (2006)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. G. Dimitriadis, P. Mitrou, V. Lambadiari, E. Boutati, E. Maratou, D.B. Panagiotakos et al., Insulin action in adipose tissue and muscle in hypothyroidism. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 91, 4930–4937 (2006)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. E. Ortega, J. Koska, N. Pannacciulli, J.C. Bunt, J. Krakoff, Free triiodothyronine plasma concentrations are positively associated with insulin secretion in euthyroid individuals. Eur. J. Endocrinol. 158, 217–221 (2008)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. A. Roos, S.J. Bakker, T.P. Links, R.O. Gans, B.H. Wolffenbuttel, Thyroid function is associated with components of the metabolic syndrome in euthyroid subjects. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92, 491–496 (2007)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. S.A. Chubb, W. Davis, T.M. Davis, Interactions among thyroid function, insulin sensitivity and serum lipid concentrations: the Fremantle diabetes study. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 90, 5317–5320 (2005)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. D.R. Matthews, J.P. Hosker, A.S. Rudenski, B.A. Naylor, D.F. Treacher, R.C. Turner, Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and b-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. Diabetologia 28, 412–419 (1985)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. M. Gutt, C.L. Davis, S.B. Spitzer, M.M. Llabre, M. Kumar, E.M. Czarnecki et al., Validation of the insulin sensitivity index (ISI 1, 120): comparison with other measures. Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract. 47, 177–184 (2000)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. D.G. Yavuz, M. Yüksel, O. Deyneli, Y. Ozen, H. Aydin, S. Akalin, Association of serum paraoxonase activity with insulin sensitivity and oxidative stress in hyperthyroid and TSH-suppressed nodular goiter patients. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf). 61, 515–521 (2004)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. J.I. Botella-Carretero, F. Alvarez-Blasco, J. Sancho, H.F. Escobar-Morreale, Effects of thyroid hormones on serum levels of adipokines as studied in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma during thyroxine withdrawal. Thyroid 16, 397–402 (2006)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. C.S. Pittman, A.K. Suda, J.B. Chambers Jr, G.Y. Ray, Impaired 3,5,3′- triiodothyronine (T3) production in diabetic patients. Metabolism 28, 333–338 (1979)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. C.M. Alexander, E.M. Kaptein, S.M. Lum, C.A. Spencer, D. Kumar, J.T. Nicoloff, Pattern of recovery of thyroid hormone indices associated with treatment of diabetes mellitus. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 54, 362–366 (1982)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. R. Naeije, J. Golstein, N. Clumeck, H. Meinhold, K.W. Wenzel, L. Vanhaelst, A low T3 syndrome in diabetic ketoacidosis. Clin. Endocrinol. (Oxf). 8, 467–472 (1978)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. C.S. Pittman, A.K. Suda, J.B. Chambers Jr, H.G. McDaniel, G.Y. Ray, B.K. Preston, Abnormalities of thyroid hormone turnover in patients with diabetes mellitus before and after insulin therapy. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 48, 854–860 (1979)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. J.L. Schlienger, A. Anceau, G. Chabrier, M.L. North, F. Stephan, Effect of diabetic control on the level of circulating thyroid hormones. Diabetologia 22, 486–488 (1982)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. S. Madsbad, P. Laurberg, J. Weeke, H. Orskov, O.K. Faber, C. Binder, Very early changes in circulating T3 and rT3 during the development of metabolic derangement in diabetic patients. Acta Med. Scand. 209, 385–387 (1981)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. E. Maratou, D.J. Hadjidakis, A. Kollias, K. Tsegka, M. Peppa, M. Alevizaki et al., Studies of insulin resistance in patients with clinical and subclinical hypothyroidism. Eur. J. Endocrinol. 160, 785–790 (2009)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. D.G. Yavuz, D. Yazici, A. Toprak, O. Deyneli, H. Aydin, M. Yüksel et al., Exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism impairs endothelial function in nodular goiter patients. Thyroid 18, 395–400 (2008)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. E. Maratou, D.J. Hadjidakis, M. Peppa, M. Alevizaki, K. Tsegka, V. Lambadiari et al. (2010). Studies of insulin resistance in patients with clinical and subclinical hyperthyroidism. Eur. J. Endocrinol. 163, 625–630 (2010)

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank E. Pappas for the technical support and V. Frangaki, R.N. for the nursing help.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that “no financial conflict of interest exists”.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Diabetes Center, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece

    Vaia Lambadiari, Athanasios E. Raptis, Nikolaos Tountas, Sotirios A. Raptis & George Dimitriadis

  2. Hellenic National Center for Research, Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications, Athens, Greece

    Panayota Mitrou, Eirini Maratou & Sotirios A. Raptis

  3. 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Research Institute and Diabetes Center, Athens University, “Attikon” University Hospital, 1 Rimini Street, 12462, Haidari, Greece

    George Dimitriadis

Authors
  1. Vaia Lambadiari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Panayota Mitrou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Eirini Maratou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Athanasios E. Raptis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Nikolaos Tountas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sotirios A. Raptis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. George Dimitriadis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Dimitriadis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lambadiari, V., Mitrou, P., Maratou, E. et al. Thyroid hormones are positively associated with insulin resistance early in the development of type 2 diabetes. Endocr 39, 28–32 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-010-9408-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-010-9408-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation