title: Progestins and bone.
abstract: Since the introduction of hormone replacement therapy which combines administration of oestrogens with cyclic or continuous administration of progestins, attention has been paid to the possible modulating effect of the progestin on the beneficial effects of the oestrogens. In this review data regarding the effects of progestins and of oestrogen/progestin combinations on bone in women have been summarized. The conclusion is that there is no evidence for a negative influence of progestins on the beneficial effects of oestrogens on the bone. To the contrary, progestins seem to have additional bone sparing properties because they are capable of stimulating the formation of bone, but the exact mechanism is still under discussion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Academisch Ziekenhuis Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.thijssen@LAB.AZU.NL
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Thijssen
mesh_terms: D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D002979:Climacteric / Q000187:drug effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D045167:Progesterone Congeners