Age related hormonal indicators of androgen status of men from infertile couples

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INTRODUCTION

A lot of older men have lower testosterone. It is connected with the worse sperm parameters, abnormal spermatozoids morphology and lower live births. Study of pregnancy after ART show negative effect of father`s age. which may be associated with the change in hormonal status throughout men`s life. However, very little information is available on the age change of androgen hormonal characteristics in infertile men.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

To study hormonal indicators of androgen status in men of infertile couples of different ages.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The men under study (n=756) were divided into 5 groups: group 1 (n=166) — patients of ≤29.9 years old, group 2 (n=261) — patients of 30.0—34.9 years old, group 3 (n=183) — patients of 35.0—39.9 years old, group 4 (n=93) — patients of 40.0—44.9 years old, group 5 (n=53) — patients of ≥45.0 years old. The following was defined: blood serum hormones, total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free testosterone, estradiol, follicule-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyrotropic hormone (TTH), prolactin.

RESULTS

Patients over 40 years of age accounted for 19.3 per cent of the total number of men examined. The infertility duration has proven to be lower for patients less than 35 years of age than for older men. The age of women from infertile couples in groups from 1 to 3, increased. Further in groups 3, 4, 5 it stabilized. At the same time, the difference with age of men increased from groups 1 and 2 to group 5. Stable levels of common and free testosterone were found in men under 35 from infertile couples (groups 1 and 2), decrease in age from 30 to 45 years old (from group 1 to group 4) and trend towards an increase in age over 45 years old (group 5). SHBG content has definitely improved in men over 45 years of age compared to all previous ages. In terms of FSH levels up to the age of 40, the rates were stable, and only increased accurately after 40 years. The content of other hormones did not show differences between groups.

CONCLUSION

The age-associated downward trend in total and free testosterone and increase in proportion of all kinds of testosterone deficiency were found in men from infertile couples Under the stable indicators of LH, oestradiol and FSH increase, it shows the partial impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicle axis.

Keywords:

male infertility

age

hormones

total testosterone

free testosterone

SHBG

FSH

estradiol

prolactin

TSH

Authors:

Epanchintseva E.A.

Federal research center of fundamental and translational medicine;
LLC «Novosibirsk center of reproductive medicine» GK «Mother and child»

Yankovskaya S.V.

Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine

Selyatitskaya V.G.

Federal Research Centre for Fundamental and Translational Medicine

Received:

01.07.2021

Accepted:

11.09.2021

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