Pituitary responsiveness to LHRH and TRH in men: effect of bromocriptine and clomiphene treatment

The effect of the concomitant use of bromocriptine and clomiphene on pituitary function was tested in 8 healthy men, who ingested either 100 mg of clomiphene, 5 mg of bromocriptine or 100 mg of clomiphene +5 mg of bromocriptine daily for 7 days. Plasma concentrations of FSH and LH increased similarly during clomiphene and clomiphene + bromocriptine intake. Bromocriptine decreased the plasma levels of prolactin (Prl) and this decrease was unaffected by clomiphene. The latter blunted the plasma LH response to LHRH whilst bromocriptine blunted the Prl response to TRH, but Clomiphene and bromocriptine together had no additive effects on gonadotrophin and Prl secretion. It thus seems likely that this combination offers no advantage over clomiphene alone in the treatment of normoprolactinaemic infertile men.