Contrasting effects of testosterone and stanozolol on serum lipoprotein levels.

JAMA. 1989 Feb 24;261(8):1165-8.

Contrasting effects of testosterone and stanozolol on serum lipoprotein levels.

Thompson PD, Cullinane EM, Sady SP, Chenevert C, Saritelli AL, Sady MA, Herbert
PN.

Department of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI 02906.

Oral anabolic steroids produce striking reductions in serum concentrations of
high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. We hypothesized that this effect
related to their route of administration and was unrelated to their androgenic
potency. We administered oral stanozolol (6 mg/d) or supraphysiological doses of
intramuscular testosterone enanthate (200 mg/wk) to 11 male weight lifters for
six weeks in a crossover design. Stanozolol reduced HDL-cholesterol and the HDL2
subfraction by 33% and 71%, respectively. In contrast, testosterone decreased
HDL-cholesterol concentration by only 9% and the decrease was in the HDL3
subfraction. Apolipoprotein A-I level decreased 40% during stanozolol but only 8%
during testosterone treatment. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
concentration increased 29% with stanozolol and decreased 16% with testosterone
treatment. Stanozolol, moreover, increased postheparin hepatic triglyceride
lipase activity by 123%, whereas the maximum change during testosterone therapy
(+25%) was not significant. Weight gain was similar with both drugs, but
testosterone was more effective in suppressing gonadotropic hormones. We conclude
that the undesirable lipoprotein effects of 17-alpha-alkylated steroids given
orally are different from those of parenteral testosterone and that the latter
may be preferable in many clinical situations.