THE IMPACT OF CIGARETTE-SMOKING ON THE PLASMA-CONCENTRATIONS OF GONADOTROPINS, OVARIAN-STEROIDS AND ANDROGENS AND UPON THE METABOLISM OF ESTROGENS IN THE HUMAN FEMALE
Ej. Thomas et al., THE IMPACT OF CIGARETTE-SMOKING ON THE PLASMA-CONCENTRATIONS OF GONADOTROPINS, OVARIAN-STEROIDS AND ANDROGENS AND UPON THE METABOLISM OF ESTROGENS IN THE HUMAN FEMALE, Human reproduction, 8(8), 1993, pp. 1187-1193
This study compares the plasma gonadotrophin, oestradiol, and androgen
and salivary progesterone concentrations in a single menstrual cycle
between 25 normal pre-menopausal women who smoke cigarettes and 21 who
are non-smokers. The effect of smoking on luteinizing hormone (LH) pu
lsatility and the urinary excretion of oestrogens is also described. C
igarette smoking did not consistently suppress LH pulsatility. There w
as no significant difference in the length of either the follicular or
luteal phases. There were no significant differences in the mean plas
ma oestradiol concentrations in the follicular phase in smokers compar
ed to non-smokers. There were no significant differences in the mean s
alivary progesterone concentration in the luteal phase in smokers comp
ared to non-smokers. There was no significant differences in plasma co
ncentrations of testosterone, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrostero
ne sulphate. There was also no significant difference between the urin
ary concentrations of oestradiol, oestrone or oestriol. We have been u
nable to demonstrate a detrimental effect of cigarette smoking on any
of the important endocrine characteristics of the menstrual cycle, and
we conclude that these data suggest that the anti-oestrogenic effect
of smoking does not work through alterations in pituitary or follicula
r endocrine function or in alterations in the metabolism of oestrogens
.