Effects of testosterone/estrogen combined on the lipid profiles in menopausal women

Abstract

Adding methyltestosterone to oral estrogen therapy has gained popularity for treatment of menopausal symptoms. Concern exists that adding methyltestosterone to estrogen replacement therapy may interfere with the advantageous effects of estrogen on the lipid profile of menopausal women. An experimental design was used to investigate the effects of testosterone added to estrogen therapy on the lipids of 36 climacteric women. Subjects, recruited from a clinic setting at a local military hospital, were randomly assigned to either an estrogen or an estrogen/methyltestosterone combination group. Questionnaires were administered to obtain information on lifestyle habits. Fasting serum lipids were evaluated at pretreatment and at three and six months of therapy. A significant decrease in HDL cholesterol and a significant increase in the total/HDL cholesterol ratio was found with the Estratest™ . Based upon these initial findings, it would be prudent to perform baseline and follow-up lipid profiles in women receiving Estratest™ .