Branched chain amino acids, androgen hormones, and metabolic risk across early adolescence: a prospective study in Project Viva

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations of two obesity-related metabolite patterns with changes in metabolic biomarkers during early adolescence. METHODS: Using multivariable linear regression, we examined associations of a branched chain amino acid (BCAA) and androgen hormone patterns with changes in glycemia (fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR), adipokines (leptin, adiponectin), inflammation (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6), lipid profile, and blood pressure during ~5 years follow-up among 213 children aged 6–10 years at baseline. We adjusted for baseline age, pubertal status, biomarker level, and BMI percentile; and age at follow-up. We also tested for interactions with sex and baseline BMI percentile. RESULTS: Median age at baseline was 7.7 years; 48.8% were boys. In adjusted models, each 1 unit of the BCAA pattern corresponded with a 4.82 (95% CI: 0.92, 8.71) mg/dL decrease in fasting glucose in boys. In girls, the BCAA pattern was associated with an increase in triglycerides (4.17 [0.03, 8.32] mg/dL). The androgen pattern was associated with decreased leptin (−2.35 [−4.34, −0.35] ng/dL) and increased CRP (0.28 [0.03, 0.54] mg/dL) in girls. These relationships did not differ by baseline BMI percentile. CONCLUSIONS: The BCAA and androgen hormone metabolite patterns are related to changes in metabolic parameters in a sex-specific manner during early adolescence.