Plasma testosterone concentrations in alcoholics.

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Abstract
Plasma concentrations of testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) were studied during a 4 day withdrawal period in 17 men (mean age 40.5) hospitalized after drinking bouts of 2-8 wk, in 16 Skid Row alcoholics (men, mean age 50.1) in the middle of their drinking bout, and in 16 men controls (social drinkers) matched by age with the Skid Row alcoholics. Upon admission to the hospital, the 17 alcoholic patients were all given an equal dose of alcohol (1.5 g of alcohol/kg of body wt) to bring them to the same phase of withdrawl for test purposes. Blood samples were taken at 0, 4, 8, 12, 14, 16, 20, 38 and 86 h after the alcohol dose. A single blood sample was taken from the Skid Row men and controls. All samples were tested for plasma testosterone and LH; the 17 patients were also tested for blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) and for the intensity of withdrawal symptoms when each blood sample was taken. The BACS in 8 of the 17 alcoholic patients ranged between 6.1 and 55.6 mM on admission. After administration of alcohol, BACS peaked at 4 h (mean, about 49 mM), and in most cases all alcohol was eliminated by 16 h. Withdrawal symptoms were minimal during the peak BAC period, rose as BACS declined, and were minimal again at 86 h. Levels of plasma testosterone (about 17.5, 15.5 and 24.0 nM at 0, 4 and 86 h, respectively) and LH (about 20.0, 24.9 and 17.0 units/l at 0, 4 and 86 h) were always within normal range (14.9-38.0 nM). Testosterone concentrations were significantly lower during the first 2 days of the withdrawal period than toward the end (P < .01). The level of LH was highest at 4 h after the alcohol dose, with a gradual decrease toward the end of the withdrawal period. There was no correlation between the severity of the withdrawal symptoms and LH levels. Plasma testosterone concentrations among the 16 Skid Row alcoholics were in the same range as in the controls (range, 9.6-30.5 nM). Mean LH concentrations were higher (P < .01) among the Skid Rowers than among the controls (28.5 vs. 19.0 units/l). Because plasma testosterone levels were normal among both the Skid Row men and the alcoholic patients, other findings suggesting that gynecomastia and testicular atrophy among some alcoholics would be caused by the direct effects of alcohol on steroid metabolism were not supported.