Lipoprotein (a) and cholesterol in body builders using anabolic androgenic steroids.

We examined the influence of self-administered anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) on the lipogram of male body builders. Serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were measured in 10 experimental and 8 control male competitive body builders. The proportion of subjects with serum Lp(a) levels above 30 mg.dl-1 was significantly lower in the AAS group than the non-AAS group. HDL-C levels were significantly lower and LDL-C levels significantly higher in the AAS group than the non-AAS group. These data suggest that AAS in male body builders have a beneficial effect on serum Lp(a) levels but reduce the HDL-C:LDL-C ratio.