The effects of opium addicyion on testosterone and gonadotropins in addicted men

the precise pharmacological of chronic use of opium on serum level of gonadotropins and male sex hormones are not studied extensively.this study was performed to investigate the changes in these parameters is opium addicted men.the blood samples of 46 opium addicts and 39 normal men were taken ,and the testosterone ,LH and FSH levels in serum were measured by radioimmunoassay (RID) technique using a LKB gamma counter.the results of this study showed that the serum testosterone in opium addicts were decreased significantly compared to the controls(p<0.01).this reduction was directly proportional to the duration of opium usage.the LH and FSH levels in opium addicts showed also significant reduction compared to the controls(p<0.01 & p<0.05 respectively). in summary the chronic use of opium can cause significant changes  in endorcine reproductive functions including hypothalamic- hy pophyseal gonadal axis.