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Metabolic Syndrome, Androgens, and Hypertension

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Abstract

Obesity is one of the constellation of factors that make up the definition of the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is also associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The presence of obesity and metabolic syndrome in men and women is also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. In men, obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with reductions in testosterone levels. In women, obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with increases in androgen levels. In men, reductions in androgen levels are associated with inflammation, and androgen supplements reduce inflammation. In women, increases in androgens are associated with increases in inflammatory cytokines, and reducing androgens reduces inflammation. This review discusses the possibility that the effects of androgens on metabolic syndrome and its sequelae may differ between males and females.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the support of the National Institutes of Health RO1s HL66072 and HL69194 and PO1 HL51971.

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No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Women’s Health Research Center, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216-4505, USA

    Mohadetheh Moulana, Roberta Lima & Jane F. Reckelhoff

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  1. Mohadetheh Moulana
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  2. Roberta Lima
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  3. Jane F. Reckelhoff
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Correspondence to Jane F. Reckelhoff.

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Moulana, M., Lima, R. & Reckelhoff, J.F. Metabolic Syndrome, Androgens, and Hypertension. Curr Hypertens Rep 13, 158–162 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-011-0184-0

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