Relationship of seminal plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone to sperm count and motility in man.
A radioimmunoassay previously described for serum T and DHT was adapted for use in the measurement of these hormones in seminal plasma. The seminal plasmas of 273 semen specimens were assayed for T and DHT concentration. Mean levels of these hormones for various sperm count and sperm motility categories were determined. We found that: (1) the DHT level of the azoospermic group was significantly lower than all other groups; (2) the T level of the group whose mean sperm count exceeded 40 x 10(6)/ml was higher than that of all other groups; (3) the DHT level of the group with absent sperm motility was lower than the level of all other groups; and (4) changes in sperm motility were not accompanied by changes in T levels. We concluded that idiopathic male subfertility as evidenced by oligospermia, azoospermia, and decreased sperm motility may be related to insufficient androgen production due to a primary intratesticular defect.
D002452:Cell Count; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000378:metabolism; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012661:Semen / Q000378:metabolism*; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone