Maintaining physiological testosterone levels by adding dehydroepiandrosterone to combined oral contraceptives: I. Endocrine effects

Herjan J T Coelingh Bennink, Yvette Zimmerman*, Ellen Laan, Hanneke M M Termeer, Nicole Appels, Adelin Albert, Bart C J M Fauser, Jos H H Thijssen, Rik H W van Lunsen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Objective: To determine whether adding dehydroepiandrosterone to combined oral contraceptives (COCs) maintains physiological levels of free testosterone. Study design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study conducted in 81 healthy women (age range: 20-35 years; Body mass index (BMI) range: 18-35 kg/m2) using oral contraceptives. Androgens, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) were measured, and free testosterone and the free testosterone index were calculated. Subjects discontinued oral contraceptive use for at least one menstrual cycle before being randomized to receive five cycles of ethinyl estradiol (EE) combined with either levonorgestrel (EE/LNG group) or drospirenone (EE/DRSP group) together with either dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (50 mg/day orally) or placebo. Subsequently, all subjects crossed over to the other treatment arm for an additional five cycles. Results: Both COCs decreased the levels of all androgens measured. Significant decreases (p

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)322-329
Number of pages8
JournalContraception
Volume96
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2017

Keywords

  • Androgens
  • DHEA
  • Free testosterone
  • Oral contraception
  • SHBG

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