What male hormones are involved in reproductive function?

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The male sex hormones play a fundamental role in reproduction, since they are widely involved in the production of sperm (spermatogenesis). The most important hormones in this function are testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, LH and FSH.

Below you have an index with all the points that we will discuss in this article.

Index

What male hormones are involved in reproductive function?

Male fertility tests

Getting a pregnancy is not always easy. If, after more than a year of trying it, pregnancy is not obtained, a specialist should be consulted to see if there is a problem of sterility in the couple that prevents achieving pregnancy in a natural way.

A complete study will be carried out to verify the fertility status of both men and women, since both intervene in the reproductive process and may present alterations that make it difficult to have offspring.

To study the fertility of man, the simplest and most informative test is the seminogram. It consists of analyzing a sample of your ejaculate to verify that there are sperm and that they have normal characteristics.

If significant alterations are found when analyzing the sample, such as azoospermia or cryptozoospermia, it is advisable to perform an analysis to evaluate the hormonal levels and try to discover the cause of the low seminal quality. In some occasions, it will be possible to improve the seminal quality by means of a hormonal treatment.

Azoospermia is the absence of sperm in the ejaculate and cryptozoospermia, a very low concentration of sperm, less than 100,000 sperm / ml.

Function of male hormones

The regulation of male hormones begins in the hypothalamus, a gland located in the center of the brain. From there the hormone GnRH is released, which is responsible for stimulating the hypophysis, located very close to it, to produce FSH and LH.

FSH and LH

FSH and LH have very related functions, since both act at the testicular level in man.

On the one hand, FSH regulates spermatogenesis (formation of new spermatozoa) in the seminiferous tubules of the testis. It acts on the Sertoli cells, which are responsible for protecting and nourishing the sperm precursor cells (spermatogonia). In addition, FSH also promotes the production of androgen-binding proteins (ABP).

On the other hand, LH stimulates the secretion of testicular testosterone acting on Leydig cells. In addition, through the action of PBL, testosterone can be fixed in the testicle and act on spermatogenesis.

Hormone regulation of spermatogenesis

Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone

Testosterone is the male sex hormone par excellence. It is synthesized mainly in the testes by the action of LH. Also in the adrenal glands, both in men and women, as well as in the ovaries, although in the latter only in small quantities.

5?-dihydrotestosterone (5?-DHT) is a derivative of testosterone, that is, it is synthesized from testosterone thanks to the action of an enzyme, 5?-reductase.

Both hormones are involved in the development of male sexual characteristics, such as the growth of muscle mass, beard and body hair.

Prolactin

Like FSH and LH, prolactin is a hormone that is also secreted by the pituitary gland and is involved in male reproductive function.

It is necessary for the proper functioning of the male reproductive system and acts mainly on the Leydig cells and the synthesis of testosterone.

Hormonal values ??of reference

The abnormal variations in the levels of the hormones that we have commented can be indicative of problems that affect spermatogenesis, either directly or indirectly. The main hormones analyzed in men for this purpose are:

Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone

In the body, testosterone can be found free or bound to proteins. The normal values ??of testosterone in adult man are:

Free testosterone (bioavailable, without binding to proteins) 90-300 pg / mg. Total testosterone (free + protein bound) 270-1070 ng / dl.

If the determination of testosterone is low, it may indicate that there is some alteration that affects sperm production, such as a testicular lesion, which may be the cause of male sterility.

Some syndromes may be responsible for low testosterone levels, such as Klinefelter syndrome or Kallman syndrome.

If the determination of testosterone is high, it may be due to the existence of a testicular tumor or resistance to the action of androgens, among other alterations. It can also be caused by the consumption of some substance or medication that increases these levels.

On the other hand, the normal level of 5?-DHT is 30-85 ng / dl. Deficiencies in 5?-reductase enzyme prevent this hormone from being synthesized and cause pseudohermaphroditism in men, which consists in having female physical characteristics being genetically a man.

FSH and LH

If there is a suspicion of alteration of male sexual characteristics, erectile dysfunction, low libido or infertility, it is advisable to analyze the hormones FSH and LH apart from testosterone. The reference values ??are:

FSH1.0-12.0 mUI / ml.LH2.0-12.0 mUI / ml.

High values ??of these hormones can indicate a primary testicular failure, which, in turn, can have different causes (infections, traumatisms, chemotherapy ...).

In contrast, low values ??are indicative of hypothalamic and pituitary alterations.

Prolactin

Normal prolactin levels should be between 2.5-17 ng / ml (53-360 mUI / l). Levels above the reference value in males can suppose:

  • Low levels of testosterone
  • Male impotence
  • Gynecomastia (abnormal growth of the mammary glands)
  • Infertility
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Suspected pituitary tumor

It can also be tested for clinical monitoring of men who have low testosterone levels.

Hormonal values ??of reference in man

My hormone levels are correct, but I have azoospermia. It is normal?

It may happen that the hormonal values ??are not altered, but that there is some other problem that hinders the sperm production or the exit of the sperm to the outside.

In the second case, this alteration is called obstructive azoospermia and, occasionally, sperm can be obtained through a testicular biopsy.

However, it must be borne in mind that it is not always possible to find the cause of sterility, both in the case of men and women.

If the testosterone values ??are altered, what treatments are there?

Synthetic testosterone can be administered in different ways:

  • Intramuscular (injectable): there are different testosterone formulations that are administered through this route. The propionate is the least hard in the body, so you have to administer it every 2 or 3 days. Enanthate and cypionate can be injected every two weeks (200 mg dose). In contrast, testosterone undecanoate allows to do it every 12-15 weeks (1000 mg).
  • Transdermal (topical): can be administered as a gel or cream daily, in patches or by skin implantation.
  • Oral (pills): It is rare that testosterone is taken orally because it is harmful to the liver (hepatotoxic).

Although synthetic testosterone can provide benefits, such as the development of muscle building or secondary male characters, we must bear in mind that, like any medication, it can have side effects, so it will be advisable to follow the indications of a specialist.

Recommended reading

In addition to the hormonal analysis, there is also another series of tests that can be done to evaluate male fertility. You can delve into them in the following article: What are and how are male fertility tests done?

The most common and informative test is the semengram. We invite you to read more about this analysis in this link: What is the seminogram and how is it done step by step?


sexual health advice in Cadiz(Spain)

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