Placebo-controlled study of effects of epimestrol on the pituitary-testicular axis in normal men.

Twenty healthy male volunteers were randomly allocated to the treatment with either 15 mg/day of epimestrol or placebo for 10 days. The plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), oestradiol (E2) and prolactin (PRL) were measured before, during and 4 days after the medication by radioimmunoassays. Data were statistically evaluated by means of an analysis of covariance. Circulating LH and FSH, and also T and E2 significantly increased in the epimestrol treated subjects. In the placebo treated subjects no significant changes in the plasma hormone levels were observed. There were no significant changes in the plasma levels of PRL in either group.