The effects of norgestrel on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism over one year

Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were studied with the use of a three-hour oral glucose tolerance test in 71 women before and after one year of daily oral norgestrel, 0.075 mg., treatment. There was no significant change in weight or fasting plasma triglyceride and cholesterol levels. There was a significant elevation of both the blood glucose and plasma insulin levels after one year of treatment. This was true for both the fasting and the glucose-stimulated values. Whereas all of the individual glucose tolerance curves at the pretreatment control test were normal by selection, 15.5 per cent of the curves were borderline abnormal to abnormal at the one-year test. The significance of these metabolic alterations is discussed.