Differential Associations of Serum Cortisol Levels and Hepcidin with Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference in Healthy Young Men

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone involved in the physiological response to stress and metabolic regulation, while hepcidin regulates systemic iron homeostasis and is influenced by inflammation and metabolic conditions. Although they are involved in distinct physiological pathways, alterations in both biomarkers may be associated with adiposity through metabolic and inflammatory processes. However, their associations with adiposity measures in healthy young men remain insufficiently understood. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess serum cortisol and hepcidin levels and their correlations with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).

METHODS: An analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted among 51 healthy students aged 18–22 years with no history of acute or chronic infection at the Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University. Blood was collected from subjects, and serum cortisol and hepcidin levels were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). BMI was calculated from body weight and height, and WC was measured at the umbilical level. Correlation analyses used Spearman or Pearson tests according to data distribution.

RESULTS: Mean serum cortisol was 108.84±39.29 ng/mL and mean hepcidin was 2.39±1.19 ng/mL. Median BMI was 22.14 kg/m² (15.63–37.49), and median WC was 76.00 cm (64.00–113.30). Cortisol levels showed significant positive correlations with BMI (r=0.353, p=0.011) and WC (r=0.386, p=0.005). In contrast, hepcidin levels were not significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.175, p=0.216) or WC (r=0.157, p=0.266).

CONCLUSION: Serum cortisol was positively correlated with overall and central adiposity, whereas hepcidin was not. Cortisol may therefore be more closely associated with adiposity in healthy young men.

KEYWORDS: cortisol, hepcidin, body mass index, waist circumference