Association of endogenous sex hormones with diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in men: multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess associations of sex hormones with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and type 2 diabetes in men.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 3,156 African American, Non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and Chinese-American men aged 45-84 years who participated in the baseline visit of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were included. Odd sratios and 95% CIs for type 2 diabetes and IFG compared with normal fasting glucose for quartiles of hormones were estimated.

RESULTS: After adjusting for age, ethnicity, BMI, and waist circumference, IFG and diabetes were associated inversely with total testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and positively with estradiol (E2). Dehydroepiandrosterone was positively associated with IFG but not with diabetes. Associations did not differ across ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of obesity, total testosterone and SHBG were associated inversely and E2 was associated positively with IFG and diabetes in men. Further research is warranted to better understand the underlying biological mechanisms.