Experimental Obesity in Man. III. Adrenocortical Function

Several indices of adrenal function were studied in normal lean males who gained weight by overeating. In 9 subjects, cortisol production rates were increased after weight gain (p < 0.05). The pattern of conversion of cortisol to various metabolites was unchanged following gain in weight. In an additional 5 subjects, urine 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) were also increased after weight gain (p < 0.06), and plasma cortisol concentrations were unchanged. When cortisol production rates and 17-OHCS excretion were related to body weight or creatinine excreted, the increase in adrenocortical function is not significant. It is concluded that the increased adrenocortical function observed in spontaneous obesity can be reproduced in normal subjects who gain weight by overeating. However, in these studies, we cannot dissociate the effects of gain in weight from those of increased caloric intake or change in the composition of the antecedent diet.