Androgen-oestrogen imbalance in men with chronic alcoholism and fatty liver

The plasma concentrations of oestrone (E1), oestradiol (E2), oestrone sulphate (E1S), testosterone (T), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and apparent free testosterone (AFTC) were measured in 20 normal-weight men with chronic alcoholism and fatty liver. Twenty normal-weight male blood donors matched for age acted as controls. In the alcoholic subjects (patients) the plasma levels of E1, E2 and SHBG were significantly elevated, whereas the concentrations of E1S and AFTC were significantly decreased. No difference in plasma T was seen between the two groups. Both patients and controls showed a significant correlation between SHBG and E2, whereas a significant correlation between SHBG and T, and between E2 and T, was only found in the controls. Eight of the patients showed signs and/or symptoms of hypogonadism or feminization. Only patients with hypogonadism and/or feminization showed significantly higher plasma levels for E2 and decreased T/E2 ratio than matched controls. The ratio E1S/E1 was in every case lower than in the control and tended to be even lower in the patients with hypogonadism and/or feminization.