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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Human In Vitro Suppression as Screening Tool for the Recognition of an Early State of Immune Imbalance
14:01

Human In Vitro Suppression as Screening Tool for the Recognition of an Early State of Immune Imbalance

Published on: July 22, 2011

Immune activation suppresses plasma testosterone level: a meta-analysis.

Jelle J Boonekamp1, Albert H F Ros, Simon Verhulst

  • 1Behavioural Biology, University of Groningen, PO Box 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands.

Biology Letters
|August 14, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Immune activation significantly suppresses testosterone levels, challenging the traditional view of the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis. This suggests immune function, not just testosterone, drives trade-offs in sexual signals.

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Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Human In Vitro Suppression as Screening Tool for the Recognition of an Early State of Immune Imbalance
14:01

Human In Vitro Suppression as Screening Tool for the Recognition of an Early State of Immune Imbalance

Published on: July 22, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Animal behavior
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Sexual signals can reliably indicate male quality if costly.
  • The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) proposes a trade-off between immune function and sexual displays.
  • Testosterone enhances sexual signals but can suppress immunity, a widely studied aspect of ICHH.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the less-explored ICHH component: whether immune activation suppresses testosterone levels.
  • To determine if immune activation per se impacts testosterone.

Main Methods:

  • A meta-analysis was conducted on studies investigating the effect of immune activation on testosterone.
  • Studies included challenges with live pathogens and non-pathogenic antigens.

Main Results:

  • A strong, significant suppressive effect of experimental immune activation on testosterone levels was found (r=-0.52).
  • This effect was consistent regardless of the type of immune challenge used.
  • Immune activation itself was sufficient to suppress testosterone.

Conclusions:

  • The primary driver of the immunocompetence handicap may be immune activation suppressing testosterone.
  • This contrasts with the prevailing focus on testosterone suppressing immune function.
  • Findings highlight the bidirectional nature of the trade-off between immunity and sexual traits.