Effects of sexual maturation on serum lipoproteins

In 503 healthy Dresden children aged 1 to 17 years we evaluated triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) concentrations. The mean TG level decreases up to the 7th year of life followed by a slow increase. During adolescence we found a difference with higher TG levels in females than in males. TC concentrations remain constant from the first to the 11th year of life in both boys and girls. In the 12th and 13th year TC sharply decreases in girls followed by a rise one year later. The same phenomenon occurs in males 1-2 years later. In a second study 372 pupils were investigated consisting to two age groups: 250 boys and girls aged 8 years and 167 young men and women aged 17 years. We estimated TG, TC, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and in quite a number of cases HDL apoproteins, estradiol (E2), and testosterone (T). HDL-C concentrations do not differ between sexes in childhood, whereas they do after puberty. We found reduced HDL-C levels in young men. The apoprotein pattern of HDL in male adolescents differs from those of boys, girls, and young women showing an increased relative amount of apo A II. The comparison of E2 and T levels with HDL-C concentrations allows to draw conclusions on the importance of testosterone for the HDL metabolism