RELATIONSHIP OF SERUM INSULIN WITH SERUM TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN NON-OBESE AND OBESE DIABETIC MALES

Background: Obesity and diabetes whenever merge within males, brew hyperinsulinemia that accentuates their diabetic status by withdrawing crucial benefits of testosterone from over their glycaemic homeostasis. This study aimed to access and compare testosterone and insulin levels among diabetic males. Methods: It was a cross-sectional study, devised on comparative and correlational grounds, conducted in 2023 at medical OPDs associated with Multan Medical and Dental College, and Nishtar Medical University, Multan. Diabetic males aged 30?40 years were divided into non-obese diabetic males (NODMs, Group A) and obese diabetic male (ODMs, Group B) with 67 individuals falling into each group. Serum testosterone and serum insulin levels of the subjects were measured via ELISA. Results: Serum testosterone levels (ng/dL) of NODMs [455.0, 310–920] were significantly higher (p=0.00) than those of ODMs [241, 150–380]. Conversely, Serum insulin levels (pmol/L) of ODMs (243.1±25) were significantly higher (p=0.00) than their non-obese diabetic counterparts (133.2±22.7). Also, serum insulin levels had an inverse correlation with serum testosterone levels in both NODMs [(rho=-0.45, p=0.00)] and ODMs [(rho=-0.52, p=0.00)]. Serum testosterone levels showed a negative correlation with BMI and WHR while serum insulin levels showed a positive correlation with them in NODMs [{(rho=-0.23, p=0.05), (rho=-0.28, p=0.02)}, {(rho=-0.27, p=0.02), (rho=-0.24, p=0.04)}] and ODMs [{(rho=0.29, p=0.01), (rho=0.40, p=0.00)}, {(rho=0.21, p=0.08), (rho=0.27, p=0.02)}]. Conclusion: ODMs, in contrast to NODMs of South Asian origin, harbour a significant degree of hyperinsulinemia which in turn suppresses their serum testosterone levels. Pak J Physiol 2024;20(4):17-20, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v20i4.1697