(P22-003-25) Salivary Sex Hormone Levels May Be Associated With Food Intakes and Frailty Assessed by Questionnaires in Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan

Objectives: Both androgen and estrogen hormones are produced in each sex and play important developmental and functional roles, even among older adults. This pilot study aimed to examine whether salivary sex hormone levels, which reflect free sex hormone levels in the blood, are associated with food intakes and frailty in older Japanese people.

Methods: Subjects were 18 community-dwelling older adults (9 men aged 68±3 years (mean±SD) and 9 women aged 75±6 years), whose saliva was collected at 15:00 for the measurement of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) concentrations. They were asked to complete questionnaires on food intakes (19 items) and frailty (14 items from the Kihon Checklist). The subjects were divided into two groups based on their salivary T and E2 levels and the T/E2 ratios > or ≤ their median values among men or women (higher (n=8 combined) or lower (n=10) groups). T-tests or Fisher's exact probability tests were used for statistical analysis between the two groups. Informed written consent was obtained from all participants.

Results: The salivary T and E2 levels and the T/E2 ratios were 142±39 pg/ml and 2.5±1.2 pg/ml and 69±33 in men, and 73±22 pg/ml and 1.9±1.0 pg/ml and 45±21 in women, respectively, with no significant correlations with age. The group with higher E2 levels had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher body mass index (23.8 vs. 21.2). Red meat and processed meat intakes were slightly higher in the higher T group (p=0.31) and in the higher E2 group (p=0.34), respectively. The higher T or T/E2 group tended to answer “Yes” for having a dry mouth and for feeling memory loss (p=0.07 and p=0.19 or p=0.19 and p=0.19).

Conclusions: Salivary T and E2 were fully detectable in both older men and women. Their levels and ratios may be associated with food intakes and frailty, potentially serving as beneficial biomarkers.

Funding Sources: No funding sources.