THE EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS TESTOSTERONE ON NITROGEN AND ELECTROLYTE METABOLISM*

Abstract

Single doses of 150-200 mg. of testosterone dissolved in human serum albumin solns. admd. intravenously to normal young men led to a prolonged retention of nitrogen. N-retention was marked during the first 24 hours and reached its highest level on the 2d day after admn. There was no evidence of retention, however, during the first 8 hours. The positive N balance continued at gradually decreasing levels for from 8 to 10 days. When a dose of 25 mg. of testosterone was injd., no measurable N-retention was observed. When a dose of 100 mg. was given, there was a slight retention of questionable significance. The response, therefore, does not seem to be proportional to dose, but appears to depend upon achieving a sufficiently high level of hormone in the blood. Retention of P and water accompanied the N-storage but in the one case which was studied over the entire period, there was no evidence of change in Na or K balance. Intraven. admn. of testosterone dissolved in serum albumin solution appears to be a way of achieving relatively rapid N-retention with a relatively high ratio of total N retained to testosterone administered.