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Gonadal hormones in male anorexia nervosa
Author(s) -
Lemaire A.,
Ardaens K.,
Lepretre J.,
Racadot A.,
BuvatHerbaut M.,
Buvat J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/1098-108x(198322)2:4<135::aid-eat2260020421>3.0.co;2-y
Subject(s) - anorexia nervosa , medicine , testosterone (patch) , endocrinology , hypogonadotropic hypogonadism , hormone , weight loss , luteinizing hormone , eating disorders , obesity , psychiatry
We studied eight cases of male anorexia nervosa selected according to Feighner's criteria. At the time of their maximum weight loss, all had plasmatic testosterone assessment (J). Five of them also had assessment of plasmatic estradiol (E2) and baseline levels of serum gonadotropins as well as of their response to LH‐RH. The response of the testicular hormone to HCG was studied in three cases. During weight recovery, six patients again had the same assessments, which were repeated at variable intervals. At the time of their maximum weight loss, T was decreased in every case; E2 twice in five cases; FSH five times in five cases; and LH four times in five cases. In four cases out of five, gonadotropins did not respond to LH‐RH. Mean levels of the four hormones were significantly lower than those of an age‐matched control group of 12 normal‐weight subjects. During weight recovery, the response of four hormones and the gonadotropins to LH‐RH increased. We found a highly significant correlation between testosterone and weight. Male anorexia nervosa, therefore, is associated with an intense hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, which mainly results from weight loss. However testosterone and weight do not always move in the same way. Other mechanisms, particularly psychosomatic ones, seem to act in the determinism of hypogonadism.