Oral and transdermal estrogens both lower plasma total homocysteine in male-to-female transsexuals.
Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels are on average lower in women versus men, indicating an estrogenic effect. Oral estrogens (absorbed via the liver) may be hypothesized to have stronger effects on hepatic homocysteine metabolism than transdermal estrogens. We randomly assigned 30 male-to-female transsexuals (20-44 years old) to 4 months' administration of oral ethinyl estradiol (n=15) or transdermal 17beta-estradiol (n=15), both with the antiandrogen cyproterone acetate (CA). Ten other male controls were treated with CA only. At baseline and after 2 and 4 months, plasma tHcy was analyzed in conjunction with plasma folate. Oral ethinyl estradiol and transdermal 17beta-estradiol similarly reduced plasma tHcy (geometric mean 10.6 micromol/l [95% CI 8.2-13.9] to 7.5 [6.5; 8.8], and 11.3 [8.1; 16.4] to 8.4 [6.5; 11.1]; P<0.001 for both), whereas CA had no effects. No effects were found on folate levels. Thus, oral and transdermal estrogens decrease plasma tHcy to a similar degree (by geometric mean -26%), which suggests that a hepatic mechanism is unlikely to play an important role in the decline of tHcy levels.
Department of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8129, Netherlands. giltay@dds.nl
Erik J
EJ
Giltay
Petra
P
Verhoef
Louis J G
LJ
Gooren
Johanna M
JM
Geleijnse
Evert G
EG
Schouten
Coen D A
CD
Stehouwer
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000187:drug effects; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000187:drug effects; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D014189:Transsexualism / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D004967:Estrogens; D012709:Serum Albumin; D006710:Homocysteine; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D013739:Testosterone; D017373:Cyproterone Acetate; D004958:Estradiol; C054443:17-hydroxyandrostane-3-glucuronide; D005340:Fibrinogen; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005492:Folic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D003545:Cysteine