Links of Objective and Self-Reported Sleep with Adipokines in Older Adults

2023 Physician Scientist Training Grant

ZHIKUI WEI, MD, PHD
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY

Key Project Outcomes

Adipokines are fat tissue-derived secretory proteins that play important roles in metabolic regulation. Sleep and adipokines are important regulators of metabolic health, yet their relationship in older adults is not well understood. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of sleep parameters with adipokines (ie, adiponectin and leptin) among older adults and explored what factors could modify these relationships.

We found that longer wake intervals at night was associated with lower adiponectin and leptin levels at baseline. Longer total sleep time predicted a greater increase in adiponectin levels over time and short total sleep time was linked to subsequent decline in adiponectin. We found that the association between awakenings and adiponectin was more significant in females and in participants with lower central obesity. In addition, we found self-reported sleep duration of >5-6 hrs were associated with lower leptin levels compared with participants with >7 hrs of sleep. Adiponectin and leptin are both considered “good adipokines” that have beneficial effects in reducing obesity-related complications, such as insulins resistance and excessive caloric intake. Therefore, our results indicate that longer sleep duration and more continuous sleep are linked to more favorable adipokine profiles in older adults. These results suggest that sleep may exert metabolic benefits through adipokines in older adults.