Short-term effect of pharmacologically induced alterations in testosterone levels on common blood biomarkers in a controlled healthy human model

K. Barbara Sahlin, Indira Pla, Aniel Sanchez, Krzysztof Pawłowski, Irene Leijonhufvud, Roger Appelqvist, György Marko-Varga, Aleksander Giwercman, Johan Malm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Testosterone deficiency in males is associated with serious comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes type two, and also an increased risk of premature death. The pathogenetic mechanism behind this association, however, has not yet been clarified and is potentially bidirectional. The aim of this clinical trial was to gain insight into the short-term effect of changes in testosterone on blood analytes in healthy young men. Thirty healthy young male volunteers were recruited and monitored in our designed human model. Blood sampling was performed prior to and 3 weeks after pharmacological castration with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist. Subsequently, testosterone replacement with 1000 mg testosterone undecanoate was given and additional blood samples were collected 2 weeks later. The alterations in the levels of 37 routine biomarkers were statistically analysed. Eight biomarkers changed significantly in a similar manner as testosterone between the time points (e.g. prostate specific antigen, creatinine and magnesium), whereas seven other markers changed in the inverse manner as testosterone, including sexual hormone-binding globulin, urea, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Most of our results were supported by data from other studies. The designed controlled human model yielded changes in known biomarkers suggesting that low testosterone has a negative effect on health in young healthy men.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)25-31
Number of pages7
JournalScandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation
Volume80
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Testosterone
  • comorbidities
  • gonadotropin-releasing hormone
  • gonadotropins
  • healthy males
  • hormone antagonists
  • hypogonadism
  • reproduction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Biochemistry

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