Oral levo-norgestrel - testosterone effects on spermatogenesis, hormone levels, coagulation factors and lipoproteins in normal men

Four healthy men volunteered to be treated for eight to nine months with daily oral levo-norgestrel (250 micrograms) and oral testosterone (200-600 mg) as a possible contraceptive. This was followed by a recovery phase of 5-10 months. The oral steroid combination significantly decreased sperm count in 3 of 4 subjects, and significantly increased abnormal spermatozoa, serum LH was decreased during treatment but serum FSH remained constant, except for one volunteer. Serum testosterone was decreased except for 2 daily peaks associated with the oral testosterone. During the recovery period, sperm counts and morphology, serum testosterone and serum LH returned to normal, whereas serum FSH levels were increased. Platelet aggregability induced by ADP, increased in 3 volunteers during treatment as did fibrinolytic activity and fibrinolytic capacity (2 of 3 subjects). There was a reduction in the hepatic triglyceride lipase activity but no change was seen in serum triglycerides, serum cholesterol, serum LDL, serum HDL, peripheral lipoprotein lipase activity and the intravenous fat tolerance test. No other toxicological side effects were seen.