Endocrine Profile in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure Under Zinc Replacement

Abstract

The plasma levels of androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and prolactin (PRL) were studied in 15 men (aged 24-50 years) with chronic renal failure under periodic peritoneal dialysis, before and after 50 mg of elemental zinc (Zn) orally, twice a day for three weeks. Before treatment, they were divided into three groups: group I, plasma A above normal and PRL less than 100 ng/ml; group II, low or normal A levels with PRL less than 100 ng/ml; and group III, normal or high A levels with PRL greater than 100 ng/ml. After oral Zn, plasma FSH, LH, and PRL were unchanged in all groups; however, in groups I and II plasma A was within normal T and DHT rose significantly, the A/(T+DHT) ratio decreased to normal, and the T/DHT ratio rose above normal. In group III plasma androgens remained low and androgen ratios were unchanged. Oral Zn seems to improve the conversion of A to T and also uncovered the possibility that plasma PRL levels greater than 100 ng/ml might cause a blockade in the 5 alfa-reductase.

Testicular Function in Men with Chronic Renal Failure and Transplant Recipients Under Bromoergocriptine Therapy

“…However, after BEC therapy there was a significant decrease in prolactin levels, simultaneous with a clear rise in DHT concentrations; consequently the T/DHT ratio significantly decreased. This observation supports the hypothesis on the blocking effect of high PRL levels upon the activity of the 5 alpha reductase enzyme [2] and thus, a more prolonged therapy with BEC might be useful to correct this abnormality.…”

Serum zinc and hormonal profile in male dialysis patients receiving human recombinant erythropoietin

“…This can be due to reduced dietary intake, zinc malabsorption, and/or possible leaching of zinc through the dialysis membrane (9,22) . Indeed, the administration of supplemental zinc to HD patients resulted in increase in plasma testosterone and sperm count and decline in LH and FSH levels (20) , effects that were not observed by other authors (1,31,35) . Furthermore, zinc deficiency in rats and in humans may be associated with disturbance in testicular function and Leydig cell failure (8,12) , even though experimental work showed that zinc concentrations in testis were significantly higher in uremic compared to non-uremic sham-operated rats (25) .…”