Blood lipids may have influence on the emotional well-being in young men

Edyta Kramek, Sylwia Jastrzebska, Renata Walczak-Jedrzejowska, Katarzyna Marchlewska, Elzbieta Oszukowska, Anna Guminska, Krzysztof Kula, Jolanta Slowikowska-Hilczer

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DOI: 10.4236/health.2010.25066                

Abstract

Anamnestic data on general health and medical conditions were achieved from 136 men (20-49 yrs). Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) questionnaire was used to assess depressive symptomatology. Body weight, height, waist and hip circumference, arterial blood pressure were mea- sured. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), triglicerydes (TG), glucose, SHBG, total testosterone, DHEA-S and estradiol were determined. Calculated were body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and free testosterone index (FTI). In men aged 40-49 general health significantly got worse, BMI, WHR, blood pressure increased and mean serum levels of FTI, DHEA-S, estradiol decreased in comparison to younger men. Only in 40-49 age band BDI-II scoring was negatively related with FTI, however, in the whole group there were no significant correlations. Nevertheless, some symptoms of depression were negatively related with LDL-C or HDL-C and positively with TG. Similar relations were found among young men, but not in the middle-aged. Conclusions: Only blood lipids may have influence on emotional well-being in young healthy men. The decreased testosterone level becomes probably the main risk factor for the lower mood in middle-aged men. Atherosclerosis risk factors and general health worsen with the advancing age, but they have no significant effect on psychological situation.

Keywords

Man; Depression; Sex Steroids; Lipids; General Health

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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