Cholesterol lowering medications also alter measurable hormonal concentrations. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Hormonal changes with cholesterol reduction: a double-blind pilot study.
J Clin Pharm Ther. 2004 Feb ;29(1):71-3. PMID: 14748901
Department of Internal Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA, USA. [email protected]
BACKGROUND: The lowering of high serum cholesterol levels may be associated with increased non-cardiac mortality due to behavioral changes, although such endpoints are likely rare.
OBJECTIVE: This current study sought to determine if hormonal changes accompany pharmacologically induced decreases in serum cholesterol levels.
METHOD: Cholesterol, dopamine, homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin, 5-HIAA, testosterone, cortisol and pregnenolone were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment.
RESULTS: Subjects' cholesterol levels significantly declined within 4 weeks. Concomitant significant increase in dopamine and HVA were noted.
CONCLUSION: Although this study is limited in size, it raises the possibility that cholesterol-lowering drug treatment is associated with hormonal perturbations.