TY - JOUR

T1 - Sex differences in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism: it's not just about sex hormones

AU - Wang, Xuewen

AU - Magkos, Faidon

AU - Mittendorfer, Bettina

N1 - (Ekstern)

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - It is commonly thought that sex hormones are important regulators of plasma lipid kinetics and are responsible for sexual dimorphism in the plasma lipid profile. Here we discuss the findings from studies evaluating lipid and lipoprotein kinetics in men and women in the context of what we know about the effects of exogenous sex hormone administration, and we conclude that it is more complicated than that. It has become clear that normal physiological alterations in the hormonal milieu (i.e. due to menopause or throughout the menstrual cycle) do not significantly affect plasma lipid homeostasis. Furthermore, parenterally administered estrogens have either no effect or only very small beneficial effects, whereas orally administered estrogens raise plasma triglyceride concentrations--a phenomenon that is not consistent with the observed sex differences and likely results from the hepatic "first-pass effect." The effects of progestogens and androgens mimic only in part the differences in plasma lipids between men and women. Thus, the underlying physiological modulators of plasma lipid metabolism responsible for the differences between men and women remain to be elucidated.

AB - It is commonly thought that sex hormones are important regulators of plasma lipid kinetics and are responsible for sexual dimorphism in the plasma lipid profile. Here we discuss the findings from studies evaluating lipid and lipoprotein kinetics in men and women in the context of what we know about the effects of exogenous sex hormone administration, and we conclude that it is more complicated than that. It has become clear that normal physiological alterations in the hormonal milieu (i.e. due to menopause or throughout the menstrual cycle) do not significantly affect plasma lipid homeostasis. Furthermore, parenterally administered estrogens have either no effect or only very small beneficial effects, whereas orally administered estrogens raise plasma triglyceride concentrations--a phenomenon that is not consistent with the observed sex differences and likely results from the hepatic "first-pass effect." The effects of progestogens and androgens mimic only in part the differences in plasma lipids between men and women. Thus, the underlying physiological modulators of plasma lipid metabolism responsible for the differences between men and women remain to be elucidated.

KW - Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic

KW - Female

KW - Gonadal Steroid Hormones/administration & dosage

KW - Humans

KW - Kinetics

KW - Lipid Metabolism/drug effects

KW - Lipoproteins/metabolism

KW - Male

KW - Sex Characteristics

U2 - 10.1210/jc.2010-2061

DO - 10.1210/jc.2010-2061

M3 - Review

C2 - 21474685

VL - 96

SP - 885

EP - 893

JO - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

JF - Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

SN - 0021-972X

IS - 4

ER -