Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of fasting for 48 h on the evoked insulin and glucose responses in males and females, and to explore factors such as stress and estrogen levels that might influence these responses.
Methods: Healthy, nonobese male (n = 14) and female (n = 14) subjects underwent 48-h fasting trial. Changes in glucose tolerance and insulin levels in response to the oral glucose tolerance test, subjectively perceived stress and catecholamine concentrations were measured in all participants. Estrogen levels were also measured in the female participants during the 48-h fast.
Results: Glucose area under the curve (AUC) values increased similarly in both sexes after 48-h fasting (P < 0.05), but females displayed a greater rise in insulin AUC values than males (P < 0.05). Fasting increased plasma epinephrine concentrations in both sexes (P < 0.05), whereas plasma norepinephrine concentrations and subjective stress increased only in females (P < 0.05). Plasma 17-β-estradiol concentrations in females decreased after fasting (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Fasting for 48 h induced a similar glucose intolerance in females and males, despite decreased 17-β-estradiol levels and greater psychological and physiological stress in females. These differences represent a plausible explanation for the gender-based differences observed in insulin responses.
Trial registration: Retrospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05545943) in September 19, 2022.
Keywords: Estrogen; Gender; Glucose tolerance; Insulin; Starvation; Women.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.