The effects of different formulations of oral contraceptive agents on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism

Abstract Background. Oral contraceptives can induce changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism similar to those associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease, including increased serum triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and insulin levels and decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. In this study, we examined whether modification of the type or dose of progestin in oral-contraceptive preparations diminishes these changes. Methods. We measured plasma lipoprotein levels and performed oral glucose-tolerance tests in a cross section of 1060 women who took one of nine types of oral contraceptives for at least three months and 418 women who took none. Seven of the contraceptive formulations contained various doses and types of progestin: levonorgestrel in low (150 μg), high (250 μg), and triphasic (50 to 125 μg) doses; norethindrone in low (500 μg), high (1000 μg), and triphasic (500 to 1000 μg) doses; and a new progestin, desogestrel, in one dose (150 μ...