The role of estrogen in diabetes mellitus: a review of clinical and pre-clinical data

Publication date: Available online 12 January 2020Source: Canadian Journal of DiabetesAuthor(s): Monica De Paoli, Geoff H. WerstuckAbstractThe incidence and prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and the cardiovascular complications associated with this disease, are rapidly increasing worldwide. Individuals with diabetes have a higher mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases and a reduced life expectancy compared to those without diabetes. This poses a significant economic burden on health care systems worldwide making the diabetes epidemic a global health crisis. Sex differences in the presentation and outcome of diabetes do exist. Pre-menopausal women are protected from developing diabetes and its cardiovascular complications relative to males and post-menopausal women. However, women with diabetes tend to have a higher mortality as a result of cardiovascular complications than age-matched men. Despite this evidence, pre-clinical and clinical research looking at sex as a biological variable in metabolic disorders and their cardiovascular complications is very limited. The aim of this review is to highlight the current knowledge of the potential protective role of estrogens in humans as well as rodent models of diabetes mellitus, and the possible pathways by which this protection is conferred. We stress the importance of increasing knowledge of sex-specific differences to facilitate the development of more targeted prevention strategies.
Source: Canadian Journal of Diabetes - Category: Endocrinology Source Type: research