Oral contraceptive use and saliva diurnal pattern of metabolic steroid hormones in young healthy women

Background: The impact of oral contraceptives (OCs) on the saliva diurnal pattern of metabolic steroid hormones remained unknown. Study design: Saliva samples were taken from young healthy women (11 OC users, 10 non-OC users) to analyze cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone 4 times (days 1, 8, 15 and 22) over one menstrual cycle. Results: OC use decreased saliva testosterone concentrations (p<.01) under all conditions of day and time, but not saliva cortisol. OC also decreased saliva DHEA concentrations during the first part of the day (p<.05), with a dampened amplitude in its diurnal pattern. Conclusion: The clinical relevance requires further study. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.