title: The effects of zinc deficiency and testosterone supplementation on leptin levels in castrated rats and their relation with LH, FSH and testosterone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate how zinc-deficiency and testosterone supplementation, both in combination and individually, affect plasma LH, FSH and leptin levels in castrated rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group 1, Control Group. Group 2, Castration Group. Group 3, Testosterone Group. Group 4, Zinc-deficient Group. Group 5, Testosterone, Zinc-deficient Group. Group 6, Zinc-deficient, Castration Group. Group 7, Testosterone, Castration Group. Group 8, Zinc-deficient, Testosterone, Castration Group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma zinc, leptin, LH, FSH, free and total testosterone levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group 2 had the highest levels of leptin and LH, besides having the highest FSH levels together with Group 6 (p<0.01). Groups 5 and 8 had the lowest leptin levels (p<0.01). Leptin levels in Groups 4 and 7 were higher than those in Groups 5 and 8, but lower than those in all other groups (p<0.01). LH levels in Group 4 were not different than those in Groups 3, 5 and 8, but significantly lower than those in all other groups (p<0.01). Free and total testosterone levels were higher in Group 4 than in castration groups that were not supplemented testosterone, but were lower in the former than in all others (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma LH may be more effective than testosterone on plasma leptin and zinc can be an important mediator of the effect LH exercises on leptin.
authors.affiliation: Selcuk University Meram Medical School Department of Urology, Konya, Turkey. baltaci61@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Abdulkerim Kasim
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Baltaci
authors.forename: Rasim
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mogulkoc
authors.forename: Esma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztekin
authors.forename: Aylin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D015032:Zinc