Effect of cigarette smoking on serum FSH, LH and testosterone

ABSTRACT

A group of forty subjects, 20 smokers and 20 non-smokers, volunteered for studying the effect of cigarette smoking on the pituitary-testicular axis. Serum levels of the reproductive hormones FSH, LH and testosterone were measured by radioimmunoassay Smokers had lower levels of testosterone and higher levels of FSH as compared to non-smokers This finding was more evident in heavy smokers who smoked more than 20 cigarettes / day, suggesting a dose dependent effect. The study suggests that heavy smoking perhaps affect spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis and may be considered as a risk factor in potentially subfertile men