The cortisol burden in elderly subjects with metabolic syndrome and its association with low-grade inflammation

The relationship between diet, exercise, and inflammation in college students: A cross-sectional study

Background: Important changes in lifestyle habits, especially diet, typically occur during the transitional period between high school and college and some of these changes may increase the risk of inflammation. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between lifestyle factors and inflammation in college students. Methods: Students enrolled in a southeastern university participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed online questionnaires for assessment of demographics, supplement and dietary intake, sleep quality, and perceived stress. Body composition was measured during a clinic visit via air displacement plethysmography and blood and urine were collected for measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) and cortisol, respectively. Analysis of variance was used to examine associations between tertiles of CRP levels and lifestyle variables and a linear regression model was fit to investigate whether there were any significant predictors of CRP levels. Results: Analysis included data for 83 participants for whom serum CRP levels and diet intake were available. Approximately 68% of the participants were female; mean age and body mass index (BMI) were 24 years and 23.4 kg/m2, respectively. Alcohol intake was significantly associated with increasing CRP levels (P = 0.017). No other dietary variables or lifestyle characteristics such as sleep quality, perceived stress, or BMI were associated with tertiles of CRP. The best model to predict CRP levels included urinary cortisol, aerobic exercise duration, alcohol, and vitamin E intake (adjusted R2=0.27). Conclusion: Alcohol and vitamin E intake were found to be associated with increased CRP levels.

Childhood trauma, the stress response and metabolic syndrome: A focus on DNA methylation

Childhood trauma (CT) is well established as a potent risk factor for the development of mental disorders. However, the potential of adverse early experiences to exert chronic and profound effects on physical health, including aberrant metabolic phenotypes, has only been more recently explored. Among these consequences is metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is characterised by at least three of five related cardiometabolic traits: hypertension, insulin resistance/hyperglycaemia, raised triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein and central obesity. The deleterious effects of CT on health outcomes may be partially attributable to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which coordinates the response to stress, and the consequent fostering of a pro-inflammatory environment. Epigenetic tags, such as DNA methylation, which are sensitive to environmental influences provide a means whereby the effects of CT can be biologically embedded and persist into adulthood to affect health and well-being. The methylome regulates the transcription of genes involved in the stress response, metabolism and inflammation. This narrative review examines the evidence for DNA methylation in CT and MetS in order to identify shared neuroendocrine and immune correlates that may mediate the increased risk of MetS following CT exposure. Our review specifically highlights differential methylation of FKBP5, the gene that encodes FK506-binding protein 51 and has pleiotropic effects on stress responding, inflammation and energy metabolism, as a central candidate to understand the molecular aetiology underlying CT-associated MetS risk.

Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol as Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Simple Summary

Sarcopenia (S) and sarcopenic obesity (SO) are diseases that increasingly affect society and constitute an important part of the pathologies that affect elderly due to the high life expectancies of the current population. The search for accessible, inexpensive, and noninvasive biomarkers that can help diagnose these diseases quickly and easily is a new field that deserves an in-depth study. The aim of this study was to find relationships between salivary cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) levels and these pathologies’ appearance in 190 community-dwelling men and women over 65 years old. The results reflect a relationship between salivary T and the age of the participants with differences by sex, and a relationship was found between lower levels of T and a greater presence of S and SO. Despite the significant results obtained, more studies are necessary to determine a potential panel of salivary biomarkers for the study of S and SO.

Abstract

Nowadays, the appearance of sarcopenia (S) or sarcopenic obesity (SO) is related to aging. According to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the feasibility of using salivary cortisol and testosterone levels was analyzed as diagnostic biomarkers of S or SO. One hundred and ninety non-institutionalized people aged ≥65 years were studied, independent of the activities of daily living (ADLs) (Barthel > 60), and sociodemographic variables were determined together with criteria for the diagnosis of S and SO including grip force, lower body strength, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, total body fat percentage, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and triceps skinfold, together with the levels of salivary cortisol and testosterone. Our results reflected that women presented a higher prevalence of S and SO (21.2% and 30.2%, respectively). A significant difference was observed between salivary testosterone levels and the age of the participants with differences by sex. Testosterone values in men with S and SO were significantly lower (p = 0.043 and p = 0.048, respectively), which suggests a potential use of the biomarker for diagnostic purposes. No significant differences were shown with cortisol values.