Hormonal effects of tamoxifen in oligospermic men

The hormonal effects of tamoxifen (10 mg daily for 6 months) have been studied in nine men with oligospermia. Basal concentrations of serum LH (1-7 +/- 0-1 (S.E.M.) i.u./l) increased to a maximum of 4-1 +/- 1-3 i.u./l (P less than 0-001) after 6 months, and FSH rose from 4-9 +/- 1-0 to a maximum of 7-7 +/- 1-3 i.u./l after 4 months of treatment (P less than 0-01). The response to luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH-RH) was studied at monthly intervals. Sums of increments of serum LH increased from 35 +/- 4 to 92 +/- 17 i.u./l at 4 months (P less than 0-001) and of FSH from 14 +/- 3-4 to 23 +/- 3-5 i.u./l at 4 months (P less than 0-01). Basal serum androgens rose from 25 +/- 2-7 to 38 +/- 2-4 nmol/l after 4 months of treatment (P less than 0-05), and serum oestradiol-17beta increased from 185 +/- 25 to 631 +/- 90 pmol/l by 6 months (P less than 0-001). No significant changes occurred in sperm counts. Five normal men acted as controls: they were given tamoxifen for 1 week. No significant changes were observed in serum LH, FSH or release of these hormones following administration of LH-RH. Serum androgens and oestrogens however, increased significantly by day 4 of treatment (P less than 0-05).