Body composition is related to age, genetic factors, and hormonal patt
erns throughout life. Peak bone mass seems to be an important protecti
ve factor against osteoporosis, although diet and life-style (smoking,
physical activity) are able to influence bone mass. While it is well
known that estrogens exert a protective action against bone loss in po
stmenopausal women, the role of androgens is still not clear. Twenty-f
ive women in the early postmenopausal period (age: 52.8 +/- 5.1 years)
were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess the
relationship between body composition (fat mass and lean mass), bone
mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD) and androgen pattern
. Waist/hip ratio was used to divide the study population in three gro
ups: gynecoid (gluteo-femural fat distribution), android (abdominal fa
t distribution), and intermediate. In all subjects an inverse signific
ant correlation between estradiol and fat mass was found. In the abdom
inal fat distribution group significant correlations between estradiol
and weight (inversely correlated), androstenedione and BMD, lean mass
and BMC were found. The data show the important role of androgens (an
drostenedione, particularly) and lean body mass on the BMD and BMC, re
spectively, in the early period of postmenopause.