Effectiveness and safety of antiestrogens in the treatment of functional hypogonadism in men with obesity.

Abstract

Functional hypogonadism in men is a syndrome characterized by low testosterone levels and clinical signs of hypogonadism without organic disease of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. It is most often caused by obesity, diabetes type 2, exogenous steroid abuse, excessive physical exercise, opioid use, co-occurring diseases, and is most prevalent among middle-aged and older men as so-called late-onset hypogonadism. It seems that the most important epidemiological factor causing functional hypogonadism is excess adipose tissue. Obesity is currently one of the most important public health problems and its prevalence is higher in men than in women. Complications of obesity include not only cardiovascular diseases or type 2 diabetes mellitus, but also lead to decreased testosterone levels, reduced libido and erectile dysfunctions, and impaired fertility in men. These disorders in men with obesity are associated with decreased gonadotropins and testosterone secretion due to hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Currently, it seems that an important complication of obesity is the deterioration of semen parameters (sperm concentration, motility, and morphology) and reduced fertility. Theoretically, obesity-related functional hypogonadism in men is reversible, so the basis of initial treatment is primarily lifestyle modification and effective treatment of chronic diseases but primarily reducing body fat mass (physical exercise and low-caloric diet). Unfortunately, lifestyle changes are often insufficient to significantly increase testosterone levels and resolve the clinical symptoms of hypogonadism. Because in men seeking fertility conventional testosterone replacement therapy is contraindicated, alternative pharmacological methods, such antiestrogens (selective estrogen receptor modulators and aromatase inhibitors) are often used.