The influence of oral contraceptives and habitual physical activity on serum lipids in black adolescents and young woman

The effects of oral contraceptive use and habitual physical activity on serum cholesterol and lipoproteins were studied in 37 black females ages 16 to 28 years over a 3-month period. By the third month of oral contraceptive use, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were lower and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to HDL ratio and total serum cholesterol (T Chol) to HDL ratio were significantly higher in those receiving oral contraceptive with norgestrel. The level of physical activity had no significant effect on HDL levels. The active subjects had lower T Chol and HDL levels and a lower T Chol to HDL ratio at the end of 3 months. Subjects in the active-norethindrone group had lower T Chol to HDL ratios than those taking norgestrel. The nonactive norgestrel group had a continuous increase in their T Chol to HDL ratio over the 3-month period. These effects should be considered when counseling sexually active teenagers and when recommending an oral contraceptive.