pros. -psychop- zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUT & Bld. Psychlat 1997. Vol. 21, pp. 937-950 CopyrIght 0 1997 Ekvler Sdence Inc. PrlntedhtheUsA Aurlght.srese& 0279~5946/97 $32.00 + .lxl PII zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA SO278-!3846(97)QOQQ&0 zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSR EFFECTS OF LITHIUM CARBONATE ON REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES IN HEALTHY MEN: RELATIONSHIP WITH BODY WEIGHT REGULATION-A PILOT STUDY TRINO BAPTISTA’, TOM& ALASTRE’, QUILIANIO CONTRERAS’, JO& LUIS MARTINEZ’, ENMA ARAUJO DE BAPTISTA’, JOSE LUIS BURGUERA4, MARCELA DE BURGUERA4 and LUIS HERNANDEZ’ ‘Laboratory of Behavioral Physiology, Medical School; ‘Department of Nutrition, Medical School; ‘Department of Microbiology, Pharmacy School; 4Laboratory of Molecular Spectroscopy, School of Chemistry, Universidad de Los Andes, MBrida, VENEZUELA (Final form, March 1997) Abstract Baptista Trino, Tomes Alastre, Quilianio Contreras, Josir Luis Martinez, Enma Araujo de Baptista, Jo& Luis Burguera, Marcela de Burguera and Luis Hernlndez: Effects of Lithium Carbonate on Reproductive Hormones in Healthy Men: Relationship with Body Weight Regulation. A pilot study. Prog. Neuro-psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat. 1997, 2~. pp. 937-95o. 0 1997 Elsevler Science Inc. 1. To test the hypothesis that lithium-induced body weight gain is related to an unbalance in the reproductive hormones, lithium carbonate (900 mg/day) or placebo was administered to healthy men for 1 month. 2. Body weight, skin folds and the serum levels of thyrotropic hormone, tetraiodothyroxine, prolactin, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone (T5), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), estradiol (E2), cortisol, the ratios E2/15and TJDHEA-S, and blood lipids were evaluated before and during treatment. 3. Body weight, skin folds, hormones and lipids serum levels were not significantly affected by the treatment with Li. These results agree with previous reports of lack of effects of 1 month-Li administration on appetite and body weight in normal male subjects (Chen et al., 1992), and question the appropriateness of studying Li-induced obesity in ealthy volunteers, given the short-term administration and low doses of Li that must be used. Kev words: blood lipids, lithium, normal men, obesity, reproductive hormones. Abbreviations: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), 17-R estradiol (E2), follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH), free testosterone (T5), free tetraiodothyroxine (T4), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), lithium (Li), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyrotropic hormone (TSH), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG). 937