Effects of nandrolone decanoate (Decadurabolin) on serum Lp(a), lipids and lipoproteins in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis

Although lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations are mainly regulated genetically, it has been reported that variations in sex hormone concentrations may have effects on serum Lp(a). We evaluated the effect of nandrolone decanoate, a testosterone-derived synthetic anabolic steroid, on serum Lp(a), lipids and lipoproteins in 19 postmenopausal women who were given parenteral nandrolone decanoate (Decadurabolin) once a week for 3 weeks. At the 4th week, a significant decrease was observed for total cholesterol (p = 0.003), Lp(a) (p = 0.0003), apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) (p < 0.0001), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (p < 0.0001). Moreover, a significant decrease in serum albumin concentration (p = 0.002) was concomitantly observed. We conclude that the administration of nandrolone decanoate significantly affects the lipid profile of postmenopausal women, showing controversial effects in terms of cardiovascular risk.