Effect of sex hormones on non-esterified fatty acids, intra-abdominal fat accumulation, and hypertension induced by sucrose diet in male rats.

Sucrose-fed rats (1) had higher intra-abdominal fat mass and plasma non-esterified fatty acids and lower testosterone levels, (2) were hypertensive, and (3) had lower plasma NO metabolites than controls. The lack of testosterone by castration of sucrose-fed rats decreased high blood pressure and circulating non-esterified fatty acids and increased NO metabolites. The administration of testosterone to castrated sucrose-fed rats restored hypertension, fat accumulation, and high-circulating non-esterified fatty acids, and lowered NO metabolite levels whereas estradiol treatment did not significantly affect these variables in castrated animals. This study proposes that the low levels of testosterone found in sucrose-fed rats are sufficient to maintain central obesity and increased circulating non-esterified fatty acids, which contribute to the development of hypertension in sucrose-fed rats by modulating the biosynthesis of NO.