Top

Published in:

01-10-2008 | Original Article

Relationships between finger-length ratios, ghrelin, leptin, IGF axis, and sex steroids in young male and female swimmers

Authors: T. Jürimäe, M. Voracek, J. Jürimäe, E. Lätt, K. Haljaste, M. Saar, P. Purge

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 3/2008

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate possible relationships between different right-hand finger-length ratios and different fasting hormone concentrations in young swimmers. Fifty-five young swimmers participated in this study (26 boys and 29 girls, aged 10–17 years). The original method of Visnapuu and Jürimäe (J Strength Cond Res 21:923–929, 2007) was used for the measurement of length parameters of the hand. The following finger-length ratios were calculated: 1D:2D, 1D:3D, 1D:4D, 1D:5D, 2D:3D, 2D:4D, 2D:5D, 3D:4D, 3D:5D, and 4D:5D. All finger-length ratios were significantly higher in girls compared with boys. Ghrelin, leptin, testosterone in boys, estradiol in girls, insulin-like growth-factor I (IGF-I), IGFBP-3, and insulin were analyzed. Leptin and insulin concentrations were lower in boys compared with girls. In both groups, the relationships between finger-length ratios and basic anthropometric parameters were not significant. In girls, estradiol correlated negatively with 2D:3D (r = −0.51) and 2D:4D (r = −0.49) finger ratios. In boys, ghrelin concentration correlated with most of the finger-length ratios (r = 0.37–0.40). In girls, the relationship of ghrelin with the 2D:3D (r = 0.45) and 2D:4D (r = 0.48) finger ratios was significant. In boys, but not in girls, IGF-I (r = 0.42) and IGFBP-3 (r = 0.44) correlated only with the 2D:4D finger ratio. Leptin and insulin did not correlate with the finger-length ratios. In boys, the most important hormone to characterize several finger-length ratios was ghrelin (13.7–15.6% variance accounted for). Ghrelin and testosterone together accounted for 20.3% (R ² × 100) of the variance in the 2D:4D ratio. In girls, estradiol was correlated with the 2D:3D ratio (25.7%) and estradiol in combination with ghrelin with the 2D:4D ratio (30.0%). In conclusion, ghrelin appears to be a further biochemical parameter in addition to the sex steroids which correlated with different digit-length ratios at least in boys.

Bang AK, Carlsen E, Holm M et al (2005) A study of finger length, semen quality and sex hormones in 360 young men from the general Danish population. Hum Reprod 20:3109–3113, doi:10.1093/humrep/dei170 PubMedCrossRef

Brown WM, Hines M, Fane BA et al (2002) Masculinized finger length patterns in human males and females with congenital adrenal hyperplasma. Horm Behav 42:380–386, doi:10.1006/hbeh.2002.1830 PubMedCrossRef

Cortelazzi D, Cappiello V, Morpurgo PS et al (2003) Circulating levels of ghrelin in human fetuses. Eur J Endocrinol 149:111–116, doi:10.1530/eje.0.1490111 PubMedCrossRef

Fuqlsang J, Skiaerbaek C, Espelund U et al (2005) Ghrelin and its relationship to growth hormones during normal pregnancy. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 62:554–559, doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2005.02257.x CrossRef

Geladas ND, Nassis GP, Davlicevic S (2005) Somatic and physical traits affecting sprint swimming performance in young swimmers. Int J Sports Med 26:139–144, doi:10.1055/s-2004-817862 PubMedCrossRef

Ho KY, Evans WS, Blizzard RM et al (1987) Effects of age and sex on the 24-hour profile of growth hormone secretion in man: importance of endogenous estradiol concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 64:51–58PubMedCrossRef

Holmes SJ, Shalet SM (1996) Role of growth hormone and sex steroids in achieving and maintaining normal bone mass. Horm Res 45:86–93PubMed

Hönekopp J, Bartholdt L, Baier L et al (2007) Second to fourth digit length ratio (2D:4D) and adult sex hormone levels: new data and a meta-analytic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 32:313–321, doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.01.007 PubMedCrossRef

Jürimäe J, Cicchella A, Jürimäe T et al (2007) Regular physical activity influences plasma ghrelin concentration in adolescent girls. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39:1736–1741, doi:10.1210/jc.78.3.744 PubMedCrossRef

Juul A, Bang P, Hertel NT et al (1994) Serum insulin-like growth factor-I in 1030 healthy children, adolescents, and adults-relation to age, sex, stage of puberty, testicular size, and body-mass index. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 78:744–752PubMedCrossRef

Kojima M, Hosoda H, Date Y et al (1999) Ghrelin is a growth-hormone-releasing acylated peptide from stomach. Nature 402:656–660, doi:10.1038/45230 PubMedCrossRef

Kondo T, Zakany J, Innis J et al (1997) Of fingers, toes, and penises. Nature 390:29, doi:10.1038/36234 PubMedCrossRef

Lutchmaya S, Baron-Cohen S, Raggatt P et al (2004) 2nd and 4th digit ratio, fetal testosterone and estradiol. Early Hum Dev 77:23–28, doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2003.12.002 PubMedCrossRef

Malas M, Dogan S, Evcil EH et al (2006) Fetal development of the hand, digits and digits ratio. Early Hum Dev 82:469–475, doi:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2005.12.002 PubMedCrossRef

Manning JT (2002a) The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length and performance in skiing. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 42:446–450PubMed

Manning JT (2002b) Digit ratio: a pointer to fertility, behavior, and health. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick

Manning JT, Taylor R (2001) Second to fourth digit ratio and male ability in sport implications for sexual selection in humans. Evol Hum Behav 22:61–69, doi:10.1093/humrep/13.11.3000 PubMedCrossRef

Manning JT, Scutt D, Wilson J et al (1998) The ratio of the 2nd and 4th digit length: a predictor of sperm numbers and concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone and oestrogen. Hum Reprod 13:3000–3004, doi:10.1016/S1090-5138(00)00029-5 PubMedCrossRef

Manning JT, Barley L, Walton J et al (2000) The 2nd:4th digit ratio, sexual dimorphism, population differences and reproductive success: evidence for sexually antagonistic genes? Evol Hum Behav 21:163–183, doi:10.1016/S1090-5138(00)00063-5 PubMedCrossRef

Manning JT, Bundred PE, Taylor R (2003) The ratio of 2nd and 4th digit length: a prenatal correlate of ability in sport. In: Reilly T, Marfell-Jones M (eds) Kinanthropometry VIII. Proceedings of the 8th International Conference of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK), Routledge, pp 165–174

McFadden D, Shubel E (2002) Relative lengths of fingers and toes in human males and females. Horm Behav 42:492–500, doi:10.1006/hbeh.2002.1833 PubMedCrossRef

McIntyre MH, Ellison PT, Lieberman DE et al (2005) The development of sex differences in digital formula from infancy in the Fels Longitudinal Study. Proc Biol Sci 272:1473–1479, doi:10.1098/rspb.2005.3100 PubMedCrossRef

Pagotto V, Gambineri A, Pelusi C et al (2003) Testosterone replacement therapy restores normal ghrelin in hypogonadal men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 98:4139–4143, doi:10.1210/jc.2003-030554 CrossRef

Paul SN, Kato BS, Hunkin JL et al (2006) The big finger: the second to fourth digit ratio is a predictor of sporting ability in women. Br J Sports Med 40:981–983, doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.027193 PubMedCrossRef

Peichel CL, Prabhakaran B, Vogt TF (1997) The mouse ulnaless mutation deregulates posters HoxD gene expression and alters appendicular patterning. Development 124:3481–3492PubMed

Pirazzoli P, Lanari M, Zucchini S et al (2005) Active and total ghrelin concentrations in the newborn. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 18:379–384PubMed

Pokrywka L, Rachon D, Suchecka-Rachon K et al (2005) The second to fourth digit ratio in elite and non-elite female athletes. Am J Hum Biol 17:796–800, doi:10.1002/ajhb.20449 PubMedCrossRef

Pomerants T, Tillmann V, Jürimäe T et al (2006) Relationship between ghrelin and anthropometrical, body composition parameters and testosterone levels in boys at different stages of puberty. J Endocrinol Invest 29:962–967PubMed

Robertson J, Zhang W, Liu JJ et al (2008) Radiographic assessment of the index to ring finger ratio (2D:4D) in adults. J Anat 212:42–48PubMed

Rogers I, Metcalfe C, Gunnell D et al (2006) AVON Longitudinal Study of Parents Children Study Team. Insulin-like growth factor-1 and growth in height, leg length, and trunk length between ages 5 and 10 years. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91:2514–2519, doi:10.1210/jc.2006-0388 PubMedCrossRef

Rogol AD, Roemmich JN, Clark PA (2002) Growth at puberty. J Adolesc Health 31:192–200, doi:10.1016/S1054-139X(02)00485-8 PubMedCrossRef

Romano M, Rubolini D, Martinelli R et al (2005) Experimental manipulation of yolk testosterone affects digit length ratio in the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). Horm Behav 48:342–346, doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.03.007 PubMedCrossRef

Rosenfeld RG, Wilson DM, Lee PDK et al (1986) Insulin-like growth factors I and II in evaluation of growth retardation. J Pediatr 109:428–433, doi:10.1016/S0022-3476(86)80112-3 PubMedCrossRef

Rusinska A, Chlebna-Sokol D (2006) Insulin-like growth factor-1 and mineral metabolism markers in children with idiopathic decrease in bone mass. Clin Chim Acta 366:257–263, doi:10.1016/j.cca.2005.10.014 PubMedCrossRef

Sanders G, Bereczkei T, Csatho A et al (2005) The ratio of the 2nd to 4th finger length predicts spatial ability in men but not women. Cortex 41:789–795, doi:10.1016/S0010-9452(08)70297-1 PubMedCrossRef

Schwarz MF (2001) Brain pathways controlling food intake and body weight. Exp Biol Med 226:978–981

Stevenson JC, Everson PM, Williams DC et al (2007) Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and digit ratios in college sample. Am J Hum Biol 19:41–50, doi:10.1002/ajhb.20571 PubMedCrossRef

Tanaka M, Hayashida Y, Nakao N et al (2001) Testis-specific and developmentally induced expression of a ghrelin gene-derived transcript that encodes a novel polypeptide in a mouse. Biochim Biophys Acta 1522:62–65PubMed

Tanner J (1962) Growth at adolescents, 2nd edn edn. Blackwell, Oxford

Tena-Sempere M (2005) Exploring the role of ghrelin as novel regulator of gonadal function. Growth Horm IGF Res 15:83–88, doi:10.1016/j.ghir.2005.02.001 PubMedCrossRef

Tena-Sempere M, Barreiro ML, Gonzales LC et al (2002) Novel expression and functional role of ghrelin in rat testes. Endocrinology 143:717–725, doi:10.1210/en.143.2.717 PubMedCrossRef

Tester N, Campell A (2007) Sporting achievement: what is the contribution of digit ratio? J Pers 75:663–677, doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2007.00452.x PubMedCrossRef

Trivers R, Manning J, Jacobson A (2006) A longitudinal study of digit ratio (2D:4D) and other finger ratios in Jamaican children. Horm Behav 49:150–156, doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.05.023 PubMedCrossRef

van Anders SM, Vernon PA, Wilbur CJ (2006) Finger-length ratios show evidence of prenatal hormone-transfer between opposite-sex twins. Horm Behav 49:315–319, doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.08.003 PubMedCrossRef

Vehmas T, Solovieva S, Lino-Arjas P (2006) Radiographic 2D:4D index in females: no relation to anthropometric, behavioural, occupational or fertility variables. J Negat Results Biomed (electronic resources) 5:12, doi:10.1186/1477-5751-5-12 CrossRef

Visnapuu M, Jürimäe T (2007) Handgrip strength and hand dimensions in young handball and basketball players. J Strength Cond Res 21:923–929, doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2007)21[923:HSAHDI]2.0.CO;2 PubMedCrossRef

Voracek M, Reimer B, Ertl C et al (2006) Digit ratio (2D:4D), lateral preferences, and performance in fencing. Percept Mot Skills 103:427–446, doi:10.2466/PMS.103.6.427-446 PubMedCrossRef

Whatmore AJ, Hall CM, Jones J et al (2003) Ghrelin concentrations in healthy children and adolescents. Clin Endocrinol 59:649–654, doi:10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01903.x CrossRef

Title: Relationships between finger-length ratios, ghrelin, leptin, IGF axis, and sex steroids in young male and female swimmers
Authors: T. Jürimäe
M. Voracek
J. Jürimäe
E. Lätt
K. Haljaste
M. Saar
P. Purge
Publication date: 01-10-2008
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0801-z

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Relationships between finger-length ratios, ghrelin, leptin, IGF axis, and sex steroids in young male and female swimmers

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2008

Franco Saibene (1932–2008): in memoriam

Effect of body temperature on cold induced vasodilation

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation enhances stroke volume and cardiac output during dynamic exercise

Effect of physical activity on heart rate variability in normal weight, overweight and obese subjects: results from the SAPALDIA study

High-frequency fatigue of skeletal muscle: role of extracellular Ca2+

Look before you leap: on the issue of muscle mass assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (reply to Jordan Robert Moon comments)