Oestradiol improves arterial endothelial function in healthy men receiving testosterone

Abstract

In healthy young men, oestradiol supplementation is associated with enhanced arterial endothelial function, a key marker of vascular health.

Endogenous Estrogens Influence Endothelial Function in Young Men

“…One study in healthy male subjects who took testosterone (600 mg) with or without estradiol (10 or 20 mg) showed an estrogen-related, dose-dependent increase in endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery. 14 From these studies and the present study, there is evidence that physiological and pharmacological levels of estrogen induce beneficial effects on the endothelium in men. In contrast, the Coronary Drug Project, an investigation conducted 25 years ago into the cardiovascular effects of estrogen administration in men after myocardial infarction, showed an excess of deaths and recurrent infarction in the treatment group.…”

“…14,26,27 These subjects were generally exposed to a combination of various preparations of estrogens and progestins. One study in healthy male subjects who took testosterone (600 mg) with or without estradiol (10 or 20 mg) showed an estrogen-related, dose-dependent increase in endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery.…”

“…11,12 Conversely, in elderly hypogonadal men, 13 and in healthy men receiving testosterone, 14 estradiol supplementation has been shown to improve endothelial function. 14 The cardiovascular effects of suppression of endogenous estrogens in men have not been studied in detail. We hypothesized that pharmacological suppression of estrogens would adversely influence cardiovascular risk factors and vascular function in young men.…”

The influence of testosterone upon vascular reactivity

“…Testosterone is readily converted into 17b-oestradiol by aromatase, which is expressed in vascular tissue (38,39), and 17b-oestradiol is known to improve vascular reactivity in women and men (40,41). In addition, the observation that physiological testosterone therapy also increases both flow-mediated and glycerol trinitrate-induced brachial artery vasodilatation in women (29) makes such an action a possibility.…”

Efeito do sistema intrauterino liberador de levonorgestrel sobre marcadores de risco metabólico e doença cardiovascular em mulheres obesas: ensaio clínico randomizado

“…Cursa com repercussões metabólicas, tais como aumento da produção de marcadores inflamatórios pelos adipócitos com aumento da resistência à insulina (RI), alterações da função endotelial, aumento da prevalência de doença hepática gordurosa não alcoólica (DHGNA) (GINSBERG; MAcCALLUM, 2009), os quais estão associados ao maior risco de desenvolvimento de doença cardiovascular (DCV) (SADER et al, 2001;TARGHER;ARCARO, 2007). Como a disfunção endotelial parece estar associada com a maioria dos fatores de risco cardiovascular (OFLAZ et al, 2003), há evidências de que marcadores precoces dessa disfunção endotelial, tais como espessura da íntima-média da carótida (EIM), dilatação mediada por fluxo (DMF) da artéria braquial e medida de rigidez arterial, já apresentem alterações em estágios iniciais da obesidade (KAROLI et al, 2012) Mulheres em uso de SIU-LNG parecem não apresentar alteração em parâmetros glicêmicos (BENDER et al, 2013;ROGOVSKAYA et al, 2005) e no metabolismo lipídico (KAYIKCIOGLU et al, 2006;NG;LIANG;SHING, 2009).…”