Temporal effects of testosterone propionate injections on serum lipoprotein concentrations in rats

The chronic abuse of androgenic anabolic steroids, a group of synthetic derivatives of testosterone, to improve athletic performance have demonstrated compromised serum lipoprotein concentrations reflecting an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. While the detrimental alterations in the lipoprotein profile have been reported consistently for orally administered androgenic anabolic steroids, the reports examining the effects of parenteral administration of testosterone upon the lipid profile remain equivocal. The purpose of this study was to determine whether compromised serum lipoprotein concentrations would be manifest in rats receiving testosterone injections (twice per week) over the time course of 7 wk. Male rats were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (dose per injection, 3 mg x kg(-1) testosterone propionate solubilized in 1 mL of safflower oil) or a control group (injected with an isovolumic amount of safflower oil alone). The effects of the steroid regimen on the serum lipoprotein profiles were followed after 1, 3, 5, and 7 wk of injections. To assess the relative effects of testosterone propionate, testicular mass was determined at the time of sacrifice. Testicular mass (mean +/- SE) was significantly lower (P