Carbohydrate metabolism in women who used oral contraceptives containing levonorgestrel or desogestrel: a 6-month prospective study.
Blood glucose and pyruvate, plasma insulin, and glucagon levels as well as erythrocyte insulin receptors were measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in 38 normal women before and after 6 months' use of one of three new oral contraceptives containing low doses of 19 nortestosterone-derived progestogens, levonorgestrel, and desogestrel. A slight deterioration of glucose tolerance was observed, with the area under the glucose curve increasing by only 7%, 9%, and 12% after Ovidol (Aaciphar SA, Brussels, Belgium), Marvelon (Organon, SA, Brussels, Belgium), and Trigynon (Schering SA, Brussels, Belgium) administration, respectively. We did not find any argument in favor of the development of a state of insulin resistance in women using these compounds, because erythrocyte receptor binding was not modified and plasma insulin responses to glucose were decreased. The glucose-induced suppression of plasma glucagon levels seemed less effective for treatment with the desogestrel-containing preparations than with the levonorgestrel-containing oral contraceptives.
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017135:Desogestrel; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D009644:Norgestrel / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000097:blood; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D011897:Random Allocation; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000187:drug effects
D001786:Blood Glucose; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D007328:Insulin; D009652:Norpregnenes; D011773:Pyruvates; D009644:Norgestrel; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; C034653:Oviol; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination; D017135:Desogestrel; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D005934:Glucagon; D011972:Receptor, Insulin