Effects of High Doses of Oestrogens and Androgens on Lipoproteins: Observations in the Treatment of Excessive Growth with Sexual Hormones

Abstract

In a prospective study we investigated the changes of lipoprotein metabolism under therapy with high doses of oestrogens or androgens, applied to stop the excessive growth of very tall girls or boys. Therapy with 2 mg ethinyl oestradiol sulfonate per week for one year in 11 girls resulted in an increase in serum triglycerides, which was reversible after cessation, and a minimal rise of total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in the phase of adaptation to this treatment. Therapy with 1000 mg testosterone oenanthate per month for one year lead to a fall of triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol. These changes are considered as a regulative phenomenon, without consequences for the application of the high dosage therapy with these steroid hormones in the treatment of excessive growth.

Effect of Short-Term Estrogen Administration on Some Parameters of Lipoprotein Metabolism in Male Rabbits

“…The finding of an enhanced cholesterol concentration in the HDL fraction of lipoproteins following administration of Agofollin in our study may be due to both an inhibition of hepatal lipase, with the consequent lowered HDL break-down in the liver, and an increase in the synthesis and a decline in the degradation of apolipoprotein A1 constituting the principal component of the HDL molecule (Kuusi et al, 1980). A similar HDL increase has been reported in girls treated with ethinyl estradiol (Hinkel et al, 1985), and in neonatally castrated male rats whose HDL values in adulthood attained levels normal for females (Kahl et al, 1985). The significant decline of cholesterol in the LDL fraction of lipoproteins in estrogen-treated males is generally being explained by an enhanced utilisation of low-density lipoproteins and an increased binding of LDL to membranes of hepatal cells (Kovanen et al, 1979;Chao et al, 1979).…”