Eight obese female patients were studied over a period of 15 days whilst on 300 kcal diet. Serum levels of thyroxine and free throxine index were not altered significantly by semistarvation. A TRH test performed before and after the diet showed no appreciable change. Weight loss was intially rapid but later slowed despite good patients compliance. Serum concentrations of T 3 and reverse T 3 (rT3) early decreased (p less than 0.01) and increased (p less than 0.05) respectively, but returned towards control levels even before discontinuation of semistarvation. There was a positive correlation between the percentage decrease in body weight and the percentage increase in serum rT 3 (p less than 0.001), and a negative correlation between decrease in body weight and decrease in serum T 3 (p less than 0.001). Our results do not suggest that the variations in serum triiodothyronines limit the weight loss; it is probable, on the contrary, that the weight loss promotes the observed variations in thyroid hormones by as yet unknown adaptive metabolic forces.

Serum thyroid hormone concentrations and weight loss relationships in eight obese women during semistarvation

ADAMI, Silvano;COMINACINI, Luciano;LO CASCIO, Vincenzo
1979-01-01

Abstract

Eight obese female patients were studied over a period of 15 days whilst on 300 kcal diet. Serum levels of thyroxine and free throxine index were not altered significantly by semistarvation. A TRH test performed before and after the diet showed no appreciable change. Weight loss was intially rapid but later slowed despite good patients compliance. Serum concentrations of T 3 and reverse T 3 (rT3) early decreased (p less than 0.01) and increased (p less than 0.05) respectively, but returned towards control levels even before discontinuation of semistarvation. There was a positive correlation between the percentage decrease in body weight and the percentage increase in serum rT 3 (p less than 0.001), and a negative correlation between decrease in body weight and decrease in serum T 3 (p less than 0.001). Our results do not suggest that the variations in serum triiodothyronines limit the weight loss; it is probable, on the contrary, that the weight loss promotes the observed variations in thyroid hormones by as yet unknown adaptive metabolic forces.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/3128
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