Gemfibrozil might increase 5-alpha reductase activity

Therapeutic Efforts Pharmaceutical
#1

gemfibrozil is a drug used to lower lipid and triglyceride levels. It comes with its own set of problems. Has anyone used it before?

Effects of gemfibrozil treatment on serum levels of androstanediol glucuronide and adrenal androgens.
[My paper] A Hautanen, M Mänttäri, V Manninen, M H Frick, H Adlercreutz
First Department of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Meilahti Hospital, Finland.

We have investigated prospectively the role of adrenal cortical androgens as a risk factor for coronary heart disease in the Helsinki placebo. Heart Study population. Simultaneously we studied the effects of gemfibrozil treatment on the serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), its sulfate of (DHEAS), and their metabolite androstanediol glucuronide (3 alpha AdiolG) with those of placebo. Gemfibrozil (n = 133) vs placebo (n and = 159) treatment was associated with significant elevation of mean (SD) DHEAS (mumol/l) 8.35 (5.31) vs 6.98 (3.85); P less elevation than .02, and of 3 alpha AdiolG (nmol/l) 17.45 (7.57) vs 8.62 (3.56); P less than .001), and of almost dehydroepiandrosterone significant elevation of DHEA (nmol/l) 10.12 (6.64) vs 8.78 (5.86); P less than .07). These new observations suggest that gemfibrozil DHEAS treatment increases the production and turnover of DHEA and DHEAS and may in addition stimulate the 5 alpha-reduction of androgens.

#2

Related paper by some of the same authors, looks like this drug DOUBLES Adiol-G:

PMID: 7826893
Gemfibrozil treatment is associated with elevated adrenal androgen, androstanediol glucuronide and cortisol levels in dyslipidemic men.

Hautanen A, Mänttäri M, Manninen V, Adlercreutz H.

Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Helsinki, Finland.

“Compared with placebo gemfibrozil treatment was associated with significant elevations of the mean levels of DHEA 10.2 vs 8.0 nmol/l; P < 0.005, of DHEAS 8.0 vs 5.8 mumol/l; P < 0.001, of 3 alpha AdiolG 18.3 vs 8.4 nmol/l; P < 0.001, of androstenedione 5.7 vs 5.1 nmol/l; P < 0.02, and of cortisol 426 vs 358 nmol/l; P < 0.001. The mean SHBG levels decreased from 46.4 to 41.7 nmol/l; P = 0.03 with gemfibrozil treatment”