@ARTICLE{AZIZI, author = {AZIZI, F and }, title = {SERUM LEVELS OF PROLACTIN, THYROTROPIN, THYROID HORMONES, TRH RESPONSIVENESS, AND MALE REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION IN INTERMITTENT ISLAMIC FASTING}, volume = {5}, number = {3}, abstract ={During the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan millions of Muslims abstain from drinking and eating from dawn to sunset. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intermittent Islamic fasting on reproductive function, hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis and the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones in men. We measured serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone, prolactin, TSH, T4, T3 and T3 uptake, and prolactin and TSH responses to TRH, before, at 10th, 20th and 29th days of Ramadan and four weeks after fasting month was terminated. Subj ects were nine healthy men who fasted 17 hours a day for 29 days. There were no significant changes in serum levels of any of measured hormones during Ramadan. Prolactin and TSH responses to TRH were also unaltered. The only positive finding 'Yas increased serum T4 of 1.5 to 2.8 Ilg/dl and increased free T4 index (FT4I) in five of nine subjects in the last days of Ramadan. We conclude that 1) Intermittent abstinence from food and drink for 17 hr a day, as is observed in Islamic fasting, does not alter male reproductive function, hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, or peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones. 2) In some subjects slight increase in serum T4 may occur in the last days of Ramadan. }, URL = {http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-1628-en.html}, eprint = {http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/article-1-1628-en.pdf}, journal = {Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic Of Iran}, doi = {}, year = {1991} }