Contrasting effects of testosterone and stanozolol on serum lipoprotein levels.
Oral anabolic steroids produce striking reductions in serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. We hypothesized that this effect related to their route of administration and was unrelated to their androgenic potency. We administered oral stanozolol (6 mg/d) or supraphysiological doses of intramuscular testosterone enanthate (200 mg/wk) to 11 male weight lifters for six weeks in a crossover design. Stanozolol reduced HDL-cholesterol and the HDL2 subfraction by 33% and 71%, respectively. In contrast, testosterone decreased HDL-cholesterol concentration by only 9% and the decrease was in the HDL3 subfraction. Apolipoprotein A-I level decreased 40% during stanozolol but only 8% during testosterone treatment. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration increased 29% with stanozolol and decreased 16% with testosterone treatment. Stanozolol, moreover, increased postheparin hepatic triglyceride lipase activity by 123%, whereas the maximum change during testosterone therapy (+25%) was not significant. Weight gain was similar with both drugs, but testosterone was more effective in suppressing gonadotropic hormones. We conclude that the undesirable lipoprotein effects of 17-alpha-alkylated steroids given orally are different from those of parenteral testosterone and that the latter may be preferable in many clinical situations.
Thompson
P D
PD
Department of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906.
Cullinane
E M
EM
Sady
S P
SP
Chenevert
C
C
Saritelli
A L
AL
Sady
M A
MA
Herbert
P N
PN
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D013197:Stanozolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014891:Weight Lifting
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D013739:Testosterone; D013197:Stanozolol; C004648:testosterone enanthate