Androgen hormones are associated with lipoprotein profiles in healthy premenopausal women

Abstract

A high concentration of circulating testosterone (TT) is associated with increased risk for CVD in postmenopausal women, but this association is not well-established in premenopausal women. We examined relationships between sex steroid hormones and lipid profiles in ten females, 18–40 y, BMI 20–30 kg/m2, who were participants in a sugar sweetened beverage study. Plasma samples taken during controlled diet intake were chosen for analysis. Estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), TT and DHEAS were analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS, and triglycerides (TG), LDL-C, HDL-C, and apoA1 were measured in fasting and postprandial samples. We found a positive association between TT and fasting TG (r=0.66, p<0.02). TT was inversely related to fasting and postprandial HDL (r=−0.61, p<0.04; r=−0.59, p<0.04) and apoA1 (r=−0.64, p<0.02; r=−0.73, p<0.01). Similarly P4 was inversely correlated with fasting and postprandial HDL and apoA1. DHEAS was positively correlated with postprandial HDL (r=0.55, p<0.05) and inversely correlated with AUC TG (r=−0.58, p<0.04). E2 tended to be inversely correlated with peak TG. The results demonstrate that in premenopausal women, androgens, as well as P4 and E2, are related to circulating lipid profiles and may be important parameters to consider when interpreting results of dietary interventions. Funding: 1R01 HL09133, UL1 RR024146, USDA CRIS 5306 51530 019D.