Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of combined
hypocaloric diet and metformin on circulating testosterone and leptin leve
ls in obese men with or without type 2 diabetes.
Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty obese men with type 2 diabetes (mea
n body mass index [BMI]: 35.5 +/- 1.1 kg/m(2)) and 20 nondiabetic obese men
were enrolled in the study. We measured serum follicle-stimulating hormone
, luteinizing hormone (LH), total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT)
, sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA
S), and plasma leptin levels before and 3 months after metformin treatment.
Both groups were placed on a hypocaloric diet and 850 mg of metformin take
n orally twice daily for 3 months.
Results: Metformin and hypocaloric diets led to decreases in BMI and waist
and hip circumferences in both groups. A significant decrease in TT levels
in the diabetic group and FT levels in the control group was found, whereas
follicle-stimulating hormone, LH, and DHEAS levels were not changed signif
icantly. A significant increase in SHBG levels was observed in the control
group but not in the patient group. Leptin levels also decreased after trea
tment in both groups. Decreased testosterone levels were not correlated to
changes in waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, BMI, and levels
of fasting blood glucose, leptin, SHBG, or DHEAS in the diabetic group. Ho
wever, a decrease in FT was correlated to changes in the levels of SHBG (r
= -0.71, p = 0.001) and LH (r = 0.80, p = 0.001) but not to other parameter
s.
Discussion: We conclude that metformin treatment combined with a hypocalori
c diet leads to reduced FT levels in obese nondiabetic men and to reduced T
T levels in obese men with type 2 diabetes. Increased SHBG levels may accou
nt for the decrease in FT levels in the former group.