title: Effects of severe dietary restriction on male reproductive hormones.
abstract: The reproductive hormone response to severe caloric restriction (600 Cal day-1) was studied in six men 33-67% over ideal body weight who completed a 32-day protocol consisting of three periods in the following order: control (4 days), maintenance protein and energy; diet A (14 days), 50 g lean beef protein plus 50 g casein; and diet B (14 days), 50 g lean beef protein plus 50 g carbohydrate. Weight loss (8.7-12.5 kg) was associated with a decrease in mean blood glucose [4.52 +/- 0.60 (+/- SEM), 3.49 +/- 0.29, and 3.80 +/- 0.30 mM] and an increase in beta-hydroxybutyrate (less than 0.10, 2.09 +/- 0.44, and 1.06 +/- 0.34 mM), as determined on the final morning of each period. On the same days, mean serum FSH and LH responses to LHRH infusion of 0.2 micrograms min-1 for 4 h (expressed as milliinternational units per ml area under the concentration-time curve) were: FSH, 1558 +/- 359, 1336 +/- 545, and 1337 +/- 321 (P = NS); and LH, 1730 +/- 545, 1612 +/- 481, and 1782 +/- 556 (P = NS), respectively. Basal serum FSH, LH, free testosterone (T), and total T changed, while 24-h urinary LH and FSH excretion increased on diet A only. Unlike 10 days of total fasting, during which the same amount of weight was lost, basal serum FSH and LHRH-stimulated serum FSH responses were both significantly diminished by 25%, and serum T was diminished by 19% (1), these same parameters were little changed by either low energy diet. The increased urinary excretion of FSH and LH during diet A suggests that greater ketosis increases renal gonadotropin clearance.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hoffer
authors.forename: I Z
authors.initials: IZ
authors.lastname: Beitins
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kyung
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Bistrian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005215:Fasting; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone