Lipid and carbohydrate metabolism studies in oophorectomized women: effects produced by the addition of norethisterone acetate to two estrogen preparations.

Norethisterone acetate (NET) was administered to 11 oophorectomized women, primed with either 17-C-alkylated ethinylestradiol (EE) or the non-alkylated estrogen, estradiol valerate (E2V), to evaluate the effects on lipid metabolism. Blood samples were drawn after a period without hormonal replacement therapy and after 6 weeks on each estrogen and estrogen-progestogen combination. Serum and lipoprotein lipids were followed and an oral glucose tolerance test was performed with blood glucose and plasma insulin determinations. NET reversed the increase in serum triglycerides induced by EE and, when added to either estrogen, increased low density lipoproteins and reversed the high density lipoprotein lipid increase induced by both estrogens. The NET + EE, but not the NET + E2V combination, imparied glucose tolerance.