Suppression of testosterone production by ethyl alcohol. Possible mode of action

Abstract

Intragastric administration of ethyl alcohol (1.24 g/kg body weight) to adult male mice caused a drastic decrease in the concentration of testosterone (T) in peripheral plasma. The depression of plasma T levels was significant at 30, 60 and 90 minutes after alcohol administration, but by 120 min, the normal T levels were re-established. This transient decrease in peripheral T levels was probably due to a reduction in testicular T production, because at 1 hr after alcohol administration, the concentration of T in the testis was also significantly depressed. The ability of the testes of alcohol-treated mice to produce T in response to gonadotropic stimulation in vitro was not affected. Addition of 5, 10, 20 or 50 microliter of alcohol per ml of the medium used for the incubation of decapsulated testes had no significant effect on the accumulation of T, but similar doses of acetaldehyde caused a pronounced inhibition of T production. The decrease in plasma T levels observed after administration of ethyl alcohol in vivo may be related to a direct inhibition of testicular T production by acetaldehyde derived from the metabolism of alcohol.