Hormone Levels In Adolescents Research Articles

Impact of adolescent high-fat diet and psychosocial stress on neuroendocrine stress responses and binge eating behavior in adult male Lewis rats.

Childhood obesity is a multifactorial disease affecting more than 160 million adolescents worldwide. Adolescent exposure to obesogenic environments, characterized by access to high-fat diets and stress, precipitates maladaptive eating habits in adulthood such as binge eating. Evidence suggests a strong association between Western-like high-saturated-fat (WD) food consumption and dysregulated hormone fluctuations. However, few studies have explored the long-term impact of adolescent WD and psychosocial stress on brain and behavior. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the impact of adolescent exposure to an obesogenic diet on stress resiliency and increased susceptibility for binge-like eating behaviors. Adolescent male Lewis rats were given WD (41% fat; n=40) or control diet (CD, 16% fat; n=38) for 4 weeks before undergoing a stress paradigm of predator exposure and social instability (CDE, WDE, CDU, WDU; n=16/group). Subjects were provided intermittent WD access (24 h/week) to evaluate binge eating-like behavior in adulthood. Fecal corticosterone and testosterone were measured at four timepoints throughout adolescence and adulthood. WD rats exhibited increased body weight (p = 0.0217) and elevated testosterone in mid-adolescence (p=0.0312) and blunted stress-induced corticosterone response in mid-late adolescence (CDE:WDE, p=0.028). Adolescent hormone levels were negatively correlated with bingeing and explained the variability between adult rats expressing hyperphagic and hypophagic behaviors. These results demonstrate that exposure to WD in adolescence disrupts hormone fluctuations and stress responsivity, with effects persisting into adulthood. This underscores the importance of addressing obesogenic environments early to mitigate their lasting impact on hormone regulation and stress responsiveness.

Association of exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates with thyroid hormones in adolescents from HBM4EU aligned studies

BackgroundPerfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates are synthetic chemicals widely used in various types of consumer products. There is epidemiological and experimental evidence that PFAS and phthalates may alter thyroid hormone levels; however, studies in children and adolescents are limited. AimTo investigate the association of exposure to PFAS and phthalate with serum levels of thyroid hormones in European adolescents. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 406 female and 327 male adolescents (14–17 years) from Belgium, Slovakia, and Spain participating in the Aligned Studies of the HBM4EU Project (FLEHS IV, PCB cohort, and BEA, respectively). Concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were measured in sera from study participants, and urinary metabolites of six phthalates (DEP, DiBP, DnBP, BBzP, DEHP, and DiNP) and the non-phthalate plasticizer DINCH® were quantified in spot urine samples. Associations were assessed with linear regression and g-computational models for mixtures. Effect modification by sex was examined. ResultsIn females, serum PFOA and the PFAS mixture concentrations were associated with lower FT4 and higher FT3 levels; MEP and the sums of DEHP, DiNP, and DINCH® metabolites (∑DEHP, ∑DiNP, and ∑DINCH) were associated with higher FT4; ∑DEHP with lower FT3; and the phthalate/DINCH® metabolite mixture with higher FT4 and lower FT3. In males, PFOA was associated with lower FT4 and the PFAS mixture with higher TSH levels and lower FT4/TSH ratio; MEP and ∑DiNP were associated with higher FT4; and MBzP, ∑DEHP, and the phthalate/DINCH® metabolite mixture with lower TSH and higher FT4/TSH. PFOA, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (OH-MEHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (oxo-MEHP), and monocarboxyoctyl phthalate (MCOP) made the greatest contribution to the mixture effect. ConclusionsResults suggest that exposure to PFAS and phthalates is associated with sex-specific differences in thyroid hormone levels in adolescents.

Вітамін D, вітамін D-зв’язуючий білок і паратгормон у дітей і підлітків з ожирінням на тлі дисфункції гіпоталамусу

According to modern concepts, hypothalamic dysfunction (HD) is a neuroendocrine syndrome caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary system and is manifested mainly by hormonal and metabolic disorders and vegetative-vascular disorders. Adolescent obesity, associated in many cases with HD, and with a high risk of developing vitamin D (vitD) deficiency. Obesity in association with HD and vitD deficiency causes serious health problems, and the vitD/parathyroid hormone (PTH) axis plays a potential role in their etiopathogenesis. Purpose - to study the relationship between vitD, vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) and parathyroid hormone levels in adolescents with obesity against the background of HD. Materials and methods. The serum level of vitD was determined by the immunochemiluminescence method on microparticles (Abbott, USA) in 87 children and adolescents with overweight/obesity against the background of HD aged 10-16 years. The VDBP level was determined using enzyme-linked immunospecific assay (ELISA) with commercial standard kit Elabsciense Biotechnology Co., Ltd (USA). The PTH level - by immunochemiluminescence assay with commercial standard kit Monobind (USA). Results. Insufficiency of vitD was noted in 32.2%, deficiency - in 56.3% of patients. The severity of obesity was associated with the levels of vitD: a decrease in the level of vitD in children and adolescents with overweight (69.30±5.14 nmol/l) and the I stage of obesity (52.60±4.17 nmol/l), a significant deficiency of vitD in persons with the II and III stages of obesity (36.20±3.75 nmol/l, 23.10±3.12 nmol/l respectively). A significant decrease of vitD level in obese patients was accompanied by a significant increase of the PTH level. In the III stage of obesity, the level of PTH was twice as high as the level of PTH in practically healthy children and adolescents with normal MT and in patients with excess body weight (p<0.05). With a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2, there was a significant decrease in the content of vitD, associated with a significant increase in the level of PTH and a sharp decrease in the level of VDBP. The level of VDBP had a positive correlation with vitD level and a negative relationship with BMI. A significant decrease in the content of VDBP (58.71±18.43 ng/ml)) was established in comparison with a group of practically healthy children and adolescents with normal body weight (141.65±25.34 ng/ml) (р<0.05). Conclusions. The results indicate the presence of certain changes in the PTH/vitD/VDBP axis in children and adolescents with excess body weight/obesity against the background of HD, which are an integral part of the complex manifestation of the disease. Maintaining an adequate vitD status can contribute to the prevention of such disorders. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.

Does Yoga-Murottal Reduce Dysmenorrhea Pain and Improve Beta-Endorphin Hormone Levels in Adolescents?

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea pain is one of the substantial reproductive problems in teenagers. Combination of Yoga and murottal is used as an alternative to reduce dysmenorrhea pain. Yoga might control dysmenorrhea pain and stimulate the release of endorphins which trigger the body to relax and reduce muscle tension. AIM: The purpose of this study was to prove that the yoga murottal as an alternative treatment for reducing dysmenorrhea pain and increasing beta-endorphin hormone levels in adolescents. METHODS: The type of research is true experiment, pre-test–post-test with control group design. Sampling according to the inclusion criteria, respondents were 30 female students. The intervention group was given yoga murottal for 20 min every day during menstruation, followed by 2 times a week, while the control group administered an analgesics medicine. Collecting data used observation sheets and blood samples. Analysis of the data used paired t-test and independent t-test. RESULTS: There is a significant difference in pain scale in both two groups with p = 0.001. There is a difference in beta-endorphins levels before and after intervention in two groups with p = 0.001. There is no difference of beta-endorphins levels between intervention and control groups with p = 0.201. However, the beta-endorphin level in the intervention group is higher than in the control group (52.9 ng/ml and 47.1 ng/ml, respectively). CONCLUSION: Yoga murottal increased beta-endorphins levels in and reduced dysmenorrhea pain scale for teenagers.

Comparison of thyroid-stimulating hormone levels in adolescents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression, conduct disorders, and hyperkinetic disorders.

The aim of this study was to retrospectively compare values of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in adolescent patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unipolar depression (UNI-DEP), conduct disorders (CD), and hyperkinetic disorders.The research involved 1122 patients (718 women, 64%); aged 12 to 18 hospitalized in the Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz. We analyzed TSH levels in the whole study population and compared it between the above-mentioned subgroups of diagnoses.Mean serum TSH concentration in the studied population (n = 1122) was 2.06 μIU/mL. The values of percentiles were as follows: 2.5th – 0.53 μIU/mL, 10th – 0.89 μIU/mL, 25th – 1.31 μIU/mL, 50th – 1.9 μIU/mL, 75th – 2.6 μIU/mL, 90th – 3.43 μIU/mL, 97.5th – 4.72 μIU/mL. TSH values were negatively correlated with patients’ age (P = .00001). Patients with bipolar depression had higher TSH levels than patients with CD (P = .002). Also, when male and female groups were examined separately we found that female patients with UNI-DEP and bipolar disorder had higher TSH levels than female patients with CD (P = .001; P = .001).Our results confirm that there may be a higher prevalence of thyroid dysfunctions in bipolar and UNI-DEP subgroups among adolescents and that it is worthy to consider some kind of interventions regarding thyroid function in depressed individuals.

Association of perfluoroalkyl substances exposure with reproductive hormone levels in adolescents: By sex status

Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of common chemicals that ubiquitously exist in wildlife and humans. However, few studies have researched the effect of PFASs on reproductive hormones in adolescents. To provide information in this regard, we recruited 225 Taiwanese adolescents aged 13–15years from 2009 to 2010 to investigate the relationship between serum PFASs (PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFDA, PFDoA, PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA and PFTA) and reproductive hormone concentrations using a cross-sectional study design. Results showed PFOS and PFTA levels were highest among the PFASs, with a median concentrations of 29.9 (interquartile range: 13.0–43.8) ng/mL and 6.0 (0.6–25.9) ng/mL in males, and a median concentrations of 28.8 (14.8–42.6) ng/mL and 4.5 (0.3–18.4) ng/mL in females. After adjustment for confounding factors, nonsignificant associations between PFASs and reproductive hormone were found except for PFNA with ln(estradiol) (β=0.2060, 95%CI: 0.0016, 0.4105). When stratified by sex, more significant associations were found in males than in females. Among males, PFASs were negatively associated with ln(testosterone) level for PFOS (β=−0.0029, 95%CI: −0.0055, −0.0003), PFDA (β=−0.2565, 95%CI: −0.4135, −0.0994), PFHxA (β=−0.3095, 95%CI: −0.5942, −0.0248), and PFNA (β=−0.4233, 95%CI: −0.6998, −0.1467). Furthermore, male participant ln(estradiol) levels were positively associated with PFOA (β=0.0921, 95%CI: 0.0186, 0.1656), and PFHxS (β=0.0462, 95%CI: 0.0020, 0.0905). Among females, a significant relationship was found only for PFDoA with ln(testosterone) (β=−0.0119, 95%CI: −0.0227, −0.0010). In conclusion, this study showed higher levels of PFASs coincide with lower testosterone and higher estradiol levels, and more significant associations of PFASs with reproductive hormone were found in males than in females.

The Association between Depression and Vitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Levels in Adolescents

Background: Depression, a challenging disorder, affects 1–6% of adolescents and early onset often predicts more serious manifestations in later life. Elevated Parathyroid hormone (PTH), parathormone levels have reported among adults with depression. In this study, the roles of 25(OH) D (vitamin D) and parathormone during adolescence, in which the frequency of depression is high, were studied. Materials and Methods: Patients who were followed-up jointly at both clinics and whose 25(OH) D and PTH levels were evaluated and questioned Scale for Children for depression at the same time, were included in the study. Cases’ socio-demographic data, 25(OH) D and PTH levels and Depression Scale’ scores were recorded. Results: Depression was diagnosed in 35 (25.3%) of the 138 patients. No differences were found between vitamin D and parathormone in terms of age and gender in groups either with or without depression. Negative correlation was found between the vitamin D levels and depression score in the group with depression (r=-0.368; P=0.03). A significant and positive correlation was found between the PTH levels and depression score (r=0.399; P=0.018). A significant and negative correlation was found between 25(OH) D and PTH levels. Conclusion: Even if clinical depression is absent, the frequency of depressive symptoms is increased with decreased vitamin D levels and increased PTH levels, independent of other factors. The prevention of depression, specifically in adolescents, is important to decrease possible suicidal and homicidal thoughts that might arise during adulthood, and substance abuse. Maintaining vitamin D support during adolescence, as with the first year of life, is necessary for both the prevention and treatment of depression.

A twin-sibling study on early growth and hormone levels in adolescents.

This study addresses how growth during sensitive developmental periods and genes may affect hormone levels in late adolescence. We analyzed hormone levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), which are hypothesized to be two pathways linking early growth with adult diseases (such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease) via their effects on enhanced insulin resistance. In a twin-sibling study, we tested whether there is an association between reduced intra-uterine growth and higher DHEAS or IGF-I levels in serum during adolescence, and we examined the contribution of insulin to the link between early growth and higher DHEAS and/or IGF-I levels. Anthropometric and hormone data were collected in 18-year-old twins (184 pairs) and their non-twin siblings (n = 98). Neither birth weight nor current body size predicted serum DHEAS and IGF-I levels. In the subsample of children who showed catch-up growth in weight during infancy, the children of lower birth weight had significantly higher serum DHEAS and IGF-I levels, but these were not related to insulin levels. Variation in serum DHEAS, IGF-I and fasting insulin levels was largely explained by genetic factors (73, 78 and 61 % respectively). Thus, early growth affects hormone levels in adolescence, but only in children with catch-up growth after birth. No evidence was found that early growth enhances insulin resistance via the hormones DHEAS or IGF-I.

Correlation of Cognitive Performance and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Adolescents with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) can negatively affect cognitive functioning. This study aimed at correlating serum T3, T4, TSH with adolescent’s performance on a learning disability scale. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 schoolchildren, (10 - 15 years). Thyroid hormones were estimated and classified into two groups: euthyroid and subclinical hypothyroid. NIMHANS index for Specific Learning Disabilities was used to assess the learning ability and cognitive functions. Results: Subclinical hypothyroid group made more mistakes than euthyroid group. In SCH male group, T3 correlated with language and T4 levels correlated in all areas except in language. In the females, there is no significant correlation between T3 and ability parameters except in partial correlation coeffeicient among euthyroid children in arithmetic, visual-motor skills and memory. T4 results did not correlate in language skills. There was a statistical significance between T4 and ability skills in girls except in language. TSH and language skills correlated in females. Conclusion: T3 and T4 levels have correlation with cognitive skills other than TSH. It is necessary to measure both T3 and T4 in addition to TSH in adolescents.

Relationship of Adiponectin with Sex Hormone Levels in Adolescents

Background/Aims: Adiponectin is an adipose tissue-derived adipocytokine which, starting at puberty, is present in lower levels in males than in females. In adults, a relationship between adiponectin levels and sexual hormones has been suggested, but this association remains unclear in children. Our study aimed to analyze the relationship of adiponectin with dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in adolescents. Methods: The population-based sample included 785 healthy 12- to 16-year-old children. Testosterone, estradiol, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels were assessed by radioimmunoassay. SHBG was measured by immunoradiometric assay. Adiponectin concentrations were measured by ELISA. Results: Adiponectin levels were positively correlated with SHBG and negatively correlated with the free androgen index independently of body mass index (BMI) and fat mass. No significant correlations were observed between adiponectin and total testosterone or estradiol. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that, after adjustment for BMI, SHBG appears as the primary predictor of adiponectin levels in both sexes, accounting for 5.7% of the variation in adiponectin levels in boys and 7.5% in girls. Conclusion: Adiponectin is related to free androgen index and SHBG levels in adolescents after adjusting for BMI and fat mass, thus suggesting an association between adiponectin levels and androgen bioavailability that would explain the sex-based differences in adiponectin levels through life.

Health Significance of Human Biomonitoring Data Obtained in Areas with Different Environmental Loads: Correlation Between Biomarkers of Exposure and Biomarkers of Effect

MAA4-PD-06 Introduction: Recently results have become available of a large-scale biomonitoring campaign in Flanders. The major goal was surveillance of the environmental health status of residents from different areas. Biomarkers of exposure and effects have been measured and reference values have been calculated. The hypothesis tested was whether living in different geographic areas resulted in significant differences in geometric means and P90 values of the different biomarkers. The significance of these findings for health risks was approached by studying associations between exposure and effect markers. Methods: A total of 1200 mother-child pairs and 1600 adolescents (14 to 15 years old) were systematically recruited in 8 distinct regions in Flanders (Northern part of Belgium), including rural areas, urban areas, and industrial sites. Inclusion criteria for participation in the campaign were residing at least 5 years in the area, giving written informed consent, and being able to fill in an extensive Dutch questionnaire on lifestyle factors, socioeconomic status, dietary habits, occupation and hobbies, and health status. Concentrations of lead, cadmium, polychlorobiphenyls, and 138,153,180, hexachlorobenzene, p,p′-DDE were measured in cord blood samples of the newborns and in blood samples from adolescents; additionally, dioxin-like activity (determined by means of the Calux bioassay) was measured in the cord blood samples and tt-muconic acid and 1-hydroxypyrene were measured in spot urine samples of adolescents. After correction for confounders such as age and smoking behavior, reference values for the biomarkers of exposure were calculated (geometric means and P90). From each of the participants, health effect indicators were obtained; these included biomarkers of effect (DNA comet assay, hormone levels in adolescents), data from existing health registers at the maternity hospitals and student support centers (growth characteristics), and data from questionnaires, which gave information on occurrence of asthma and allergy in mothers and adolescents, fertility of the mothers, and growth and puberty development of the adolescents. Results: Statistical analysis using ANOVA revealed for most biomarkers significant differences in the geometric means of biomarkers of exposure between residents of different areas. Unexpectedly, all chlorinated compounds measured were significantly elevated in rural areas (P > 0.05). Hypotheses on the correlations between exposure to chlorinated compounds and fertility, growth, and development parameters were analyzed by regression analysis using all the available data from each cohort. This approach allowed to add some information to the surveillance program on health relevance of the exposure markers. Discussion: Exposure biomarkers and effect markers in the same study design give complementary information. Exposure markers are always a limited tool for environmental health surveillance since it is not possible to measure all potential contaminants. Effect markers, although much less specific for exposure to chemicals, have an additional role in surveillance provided that confounders and covariables are carefully taken into account.

CSF transthyretin in patients with depression

Some depressed patients may suffer from restricted central hypothyroidism, which could occur if levels of the thyroid hormone transport protein transthyretin were low. CSF transthyretin was measured in eight inpatients with refractory major depression and nine neurological patients. The depressed patients had significantly lower transthyretin levels than the comparison subjects, suggesting that central hypothyroidism, with normal peripheral thyroid concentrations, could occur in some depressed patients.