EFFECT OF OBESITY AND FERTILITY STATUS ON SEX STEROID-LEVELS IN MEN

Endocrine studies were performed on fertile and infertile obese men an d compared with fertile and infertile nonobese men in order to determi ne the independent and codependent effects of obesity and fertility st atus on the male hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. The obese infert ile group exhibited significant endocrinologic changes as compared wit h fertile nonobese control group which was not observed in any of the other three groups. Serum testosterone was significantly lower. The te stosterone/estradiol ratio was significantly lower despite a lack of s ignificant change in serum estradiol levels. Serum steroid hormone bin ding globulin (SHBG) was significantly lower which correlated with ele vated bioavailability of both testosterone and estradiol in the obese infertile group. Serum luteinizing hormone levels were no different, s uggesting that free testosterone levels were unchanged. Obese infertil e men exhibit endocrinologic changes that are not observed in men with either obesity or infertility alone. Reduction of serum SHBG, total t estosterone, and testosterone/estradiol ratio appear to be a marker of infertility among obese men.