Sex Hormone Levels In Women Research Articles

The effects of illicit drug use and HIV infection on sex hormone levels in women

Drug use and HIV infection may affect sex hormone levels in women. One hundred and ninety-six women with and without a history of illicit drug use (50 HIV-negative and 148 HIV-infected), with regular menses, who never used antiretrovirals, were evaluated. Luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher in women with a CD4 cell count <200/μl (p < 0.002). Current methadone use was associated with lower levels of total testosterone (p = 0.03) and higher levels of prolactin (p = 0.002); mean estradiol levels were 43% lower in women who used intravenous drugs (p < 0.001). Alcohol and crack cocaine use was not associated with sex hormone levels. Age, race, body mass index and degree of HIV immunosuppression were also associated with differences in sex hormone levels.

Racial differences in sex hormone levels in women approaching the transition to menopause

Objective: Evaluate racial differences in reproducibility of hormone levels over time (estradiol, DHEAS, FSH, and testosterone) while adjusting for covariates previously identified as relevant in the study population. Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Setting: Healthy, late-reproductive-age women in a community-based sample. Patient(s): African American and Caucasian women identified by random digit dialing. Intervention(s): Hormone levels measured in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle four times over 9 months. A multivariate, linear mixed model estimated effects on hormone levels of race, age at enrollment, age at menarche, number of pregnancies, current smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio (WHR), and menstrual cycle length. Main Outcome Measure(s): Follicular plasma levels of estradiol, FSH, DHEAS, and testosterone. Result(s): African American but not Caucasian women had significantly lower levels of estradiol and DHEAS with increasing age. African American but not Caucasian women had significantly decreased levels of estradiol and significantly increased levels of DHEAS with increasing BMI. No racial differences in reproducibility of hormone measures were found. Conclusion(s): There are racial differences in associations of hormone levels with age and BMI in late reproductive age women. Further study is needed to replicate these findings and to determine the relationships of these hormonal associations with menopausal symptoms.

Exercise and Lipids

We have learned a substantial amount about the influence of exercise on plasma lipoprotein status in women. However, studies on women still lag behind those on men, and much detail remains to be filled in. For instance, the fluctuating sex hormone levels in women during the month produce substantial variations in plasma lipoprotein levels, which needs further investigation and must be considered in studies on premenopausal women. Meanwhile, it seems clear that athletes engaging in aerobic sports at a high level are particularly favored with respect to their low overall risk of coronary heart disease and, in particular, to their highly favorable plasma lipoprotein pattern.