Effects of Testosterone and of Testosterone Propionate on Protein Formation in Man1

Abstract

THERE NOW is considerable evidence to show that the parenteral administration of testosterone or its propionate can induce a significant degree of nitrogen retention in normal individuals and in patients with various disorders (1). It has been assumed that the retained nitrogen is used for tissue-protein fabrication, but whether or not serum-protein formation is increased simultaneously has remained unknown. Should the administration of testosterone or testosterone propionate significantly increase the concentration of or amount of total circulating serum protein, then these steroids might prove of considerable clinical value in the prevention of the many complications consequent to hypoproteinemia. This would be especially desirable in patients subjected to intra-abdominal surgery who almost uniformly develop serious degrees of nitrogen loss and hypoproteinemia (2). The present study deals with five male subjects. Two of these were normal and three had carcinoma of the stomach. All were fed constant diets which contained 5.0 gm. of carbohydrate, 1.3 gm. of protein, and 1.5 gm. of fat per kg. body weight.2