Copyright 1984 U.P.I.
United Press International
May 3, 1984, Thursday, PM cycle
SECTION: Domestic News
LENGTH: 285 words
HEADLINE: Drugs, alcohol hurt teen boys' sex drive
BYLINE: By SUSAN RUEL
DATELINE: SAN FRANCISCO
BODY:
Too much alcohol and drugs can dampen a teenage boy's sex drive, according
to new research presented at a national convention of pediatricians.
Dr. Frank Diamond of the University of South Florida presented the results of
his study Wednesday to an annual joint meeting of the American Pediatrics
Society and the Society for Pediatric Research.
Diamond said he researched 26 boys about 17 years old who had enrolled in
STRAIGHT, Inc, a St. Petersburg, Fla., rehabilitation program.
Although it was difficult to sift out which of many drugs might have affected
the boys, Diamond said he found a significant deficiency of male hormones in the
drug and alcohol users compared to the levels found in a control group.
His colleague, Dr. Allen Root, who collaborated in the research, described
the results.
Serum levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone in the drug and liquor
users were approximately 50 percent that of the control group, Root said, with
follicle stimulating hormones only 75 percent as high among the drug users as
the control group.
The boys in the study were already sexually developed. The research showed
genital and pubic hair growth was not significantly affected by drug use, Root
said.
When hormone readings of six boys were taken seven to 11 months after
withdrawal from drugs and alcohol, researchers noticed a ''significant increase'
' in their hormone levels, Root said.
Similar studies have shown dwindling levels of male hormones in adult drug
and alcohol users and laboratory animals, Root said.
The research, which has gone on for about three years, will look next at the
effects of drug use on sexual maturation of adolescent girls and younger
children.
