Factors underlying infertility in the alcoholic.
In an effort to identify the factor(s) contributing to loss in sexual competence in alcoholics, a pilot study was made of the interrelationships of hepatic disease, plasma hormone levels and importnce in 35 male patients in an alcohol unit. Contrary to previous reports, impotence was not a direct concomitant of hepatic disease, elevated sex hormone-binding globulin capacity or hyperestrinism. The most significant aberration found was a nearly 30% lower mean free testosterone concentration which appeared to be secondary to a mean total testosterone concentration 20% below that of the subjects with normal sexual function. We conclude from this that impotence results from testicular secretion impaired by the action of alcohol or its metabolite, acetaldehyde.
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol