Hormones and psycho-sexual development in young men following chronic heroin use

Sixteen former addicts who began heroin use during early puberty were compared with seventeen current heroin users and ten drug-free control subjects with respect to psycho-sexual development and pituitary gonadal hormone levels. Plasma testosterone and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels did not differ between the former addicts and normal control subjects, but were significantly suppressed in the current heroin users. Measures of sexual behavior and physical development did not differ significantly between the three subject groups. Recurrent heroin use during early puberty did not significantly disrupt pubertal development in males. It is postulated that tolerance to opiate induced suppression of pituitary gonadal hormones occurs in pre-pubescent as well as post-pubescent males.