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The effects of circulating testosterone and pubertal maturation on risk for disordered eating symptoms in adolescent males

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2014

K. M. Culbert ,
S. A. Burt ,
C. L. Sisk ,
J. T. Nigg  and
K. L. Klump
K. M. Culbert*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
S. A. Burt
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
C. L. Sisk
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
J. T. Nigg
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
K. L. Klump
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
*
* Address for correspondence: K. M. Culbert, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, 293 Farm Lane, Giltner Hall – Room 354, East Lansing, MI 48824-1116, USA. (Email: culbertk@msu.edu)
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Abstract

Background

Testosterone may be a biological factor that protects males against eating disorders. Elevated prenatal testosterone exposure is linked to lower levels of disordered eating symptoms, but effects emerge only after mid-puberty. Whether circulating levels of testosterone account for decreased risk for disordered eating in boys after mid-puberty is currently unknown; however, animal data support this possibility. In rodents, prenatal testosterone's masculinizing effects on sex-differentiated behaviors emerge during puberty when circulating levels of testosterone increase and ‘activate’ the expression of masculinized phenotypes. This study investigated whether higher levels of circulating testosterone predict lower levels of disordered eating symptoms in adolescent boys, and in particular whether effects are associated with advancing pubertal maturation.

Method

Participants were 213 male twins from the Michigan State University Twin Registry. The Minnesota Eating Behavior Survey and Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire assessed several disordered eating symptoms. The Pubertal Development Scale assessed pubertal status. Afternoon saliva samples were assayed for testosterone using enzyme immunoassays.

Results

Consistent with animal data, higher levels of circulating testosterone predicted lower levels of disordered eating symptoms in adolescent boys and effects emerged with advancing puberty. Results were not accounted for by several important covariates, including age, adiposity, or mood/anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that elevated circulating testosterone may be protective and underlie decreased risk for eating pathology in males during/after puberty, whereas lower levels of testosterone may increase risk and explain why some, albeit relatively few, males develop eating disorders.

Keywords

Adolescencedisordered eatingeating disordersmalespubertytestosterone
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 44 , Issue 11 , August 2014 , pp. 2271 - 2286
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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