mda, i put an "=" for the sake that i'm lazy. You obviously failed to read my posts. I said a CORRELATION. I never said test. was the sole reason behind it but rather there is an obvious CORRELATION. Its what I believe, if you all believe you all are right, then prove me wrong. Making smartass comments, twin peaks, does not go about provign me wrong, it just degenerates the thread.
Effect of pharmacological agents on male reproduction.
Chowdhury AR.
PIP: The main groups of drugs that affect male libido, potency, sperm production, structure and function are summarized and their mechanisms described when known. About 15% of the 200 most commonly prescribed drugs can have adverse effects on male reproduction. Sedatives, tranquilizers, hypnotics, antiandrogens and the common antihypertensive methyldopa can depress libido. Spironoacetone has been reported to impair libido, potency, sperm count and motility, although reversibly. The phenothiazines and tricyclic antidepressants may induce prolactin secretion and consequent gynecomastia. Narcotics and hallucinogens influence male sexual performance. Morphine and methadone decrease LH and testosterone, and increase prolactin. Cannabis, hashish and marijuana initially increase libido and potency, but chronic use causes sexual inversion. Chronic alcoholism also may upset testosterone metabolism, causing testicular atrophy. Cyclophosphamide, used for nephrotic syndrome, and nitrofurans, used as food preservatives, cause direct damage to seminiferous tubules. Synthetic oganochlorine pesticides, especially DDT, have also been reported to damage spermatogenic cells directly, when injected in mice. Steroids such as ACTH, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone may inhibit steroidogenesis in animals.
Anabolic-androgenic steroids and related substances.
Yesalis CE, Bahrke MS.
Pennsylvania State University, 114 Henderson Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
cey2@psu.edu Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, and anabolic-androgenic steroids are synthetic derivatives of testosterone. Anabolic steroids are used to enhance athletic performance and appearance. Adverse effects include those on the liver, serum lipids, psyche/behavior, and the reproductive system. Androstenedione is an anabolic-androgenic steroid used to increase blood testosterone levels for the purposes of increasing strength, lean body mass, and sexual performance. However, there is no research indicating androstenedione or its related compounds, significantly increases strength and/or lean body mass by increasing testosterone levels. The long-term health effects of prolonged androstenedione supplementation are unknown. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a weak androgen also used to elevate testosterone levels. DHEA is also advertised as an antiobesity and antiaging supplement capable of improving libido, vitality, and immunity levels. However, research demonstrates that DHEA supplementation does not increase serum testosterone concentrations or increase strength in men, and it may have virilizing effects on women.
Nadjafi-Triebsch C, Huell M, Burki D, Rohr UD.
MD Gyn/Ob and Consultant in Womens' Health, Basle, Switzerland.
chris.nadjafi@quintiles.com Two case reports of men suffering from excessive fatigue and depression are presented, both treated with 50 or 25 mg DHEA per day over a period of 1 year. Under DHEA treatment one subject reported being less tired and the other experienced improved well-being without depressive episodes and an increase in libido. Investigations of sex hormone parameters in plasma before and under treatment revealed a decrease of testosterone and an increase of progesterone in both, possibly dose-dependent to DHEA application. It is hypothesised that the increase of progesterone is parallel to an increase of its metabolite allopregnanolone (which was not determined), that might explain the improvement in well-being. The increase of progesterone under DHEA supplementation in males should receive further attention.
Lejeune H, Dechaud H, Pugeat M.
Departement de Medecine de la Reproduction, Hopital E. Herriot & INSERM-INRA U418, Hopital Debrousse, Lyon.
With age, some men develop symptoms resembling hypogonadism. Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown a decrease in testosterone levels with ageing in men. This finding has equally been observed in elderly men in good health. Testosterone levels decline progressively as of the thirties, at a rate which remains constant throughout life. While total testosterone levels decrease, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels on the contrary increase with age, with the result that the levels of free and non-SHBG-bound testosterone (corresponding to the fraction which is bioavailable to target cells) decrease more abruptly than that of total testosterone. Higher LH levels, decreased testosterone response to hCG and less Leydig cells all indicate that ageing induces partial testicular failure. However, the gonadotropic function is also affected in ageing. The hypothalamus-pituitary becomes more sensitive to gonad steroid feedback, LH pulse amplitude decreases, and the LH response to GnRH is blunted compared to the situation in young men. Thus LH level is not a valid index of androgen deficiency in elderly males. None of the androgen-dependent functions (libido, erection, sense of well-being, muscle mass and strength, fat mass, bone mass, erythropoiesis, etc.) are under exclusively androgen control, and there is no elderly male symptom which is completely specific to androgen deficiency. Thus, in elderly men, when clinical symptoms might indicate androgen deficiency, biological confirmation is needed. An assay which is independent of SHBG fluctuations is mandatory. Bioavailable testosterone assay by ammonium sulfate precipitation seems to us to be the optimum method for diagnosing androgen deficiency: it gives a reliable measurement for the testosterone fraction available to target cells, is adapted to clinical practice, and provides results that can be directly compared with current reference values for healthy young men.
*sigh*
*waits for contrary scientic info.*
< Message edited by TreeTrunks -- 10/22/2003 5:20:02 PM >