title: Melatonin treatment in peri- and postmenopausal women elevates serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels without influencing total cholesterol levels.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin on lipid metabolism in peri- and postmenopausal women. Forty-six women were enrolled in these studies. The relationship between night-time serum melatonin levels and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was investigated in 36 women. Night-time serum melatonin levels had a negative correlation with serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and a loose positive correlation with HDL-cholesterol. To examine the effects of exogenous melatonin on lipid metabolism, serum levels of total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were determined in 10 women before the onset of therapy and after 1 month of oral melatonin administration (1 mg melatonin daily). Melatonin administration significantly increased the serum levels of HDL-cholesterol. These results show that melatonin may influence cholesterol metabolism and suggest that the melatonin administration may become a new medical application for improvement of lipid metabolism and prevention of cardiovascular disease in peri- and postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan. hitamura@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narimatsu
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takasaki
authors.forename: Russel J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: Norihiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sugino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D047648:Perimenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D008550:Melatonin