Effect of Androgens on the Blood Count of Men

Eunuchoid patients treated actively with testosterone propionate or methyl testosterone1 frequently develop a rather striking increase in energy and a plethoric appearance. The observation of such changes led us to make serial determinations of the erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit and leucocyte levels of the blood and to attempt to correlate such changes as might occur with the basal metabolism. When it was realised that a distinct rise in red cell count and hemoglobin followed the use of androgens in certain cases, blood counts which previously had been made at random were also correlated with previous therapy where possible. These are included in cases 1 to 4. The data reported here were obtained on 12 patients. The shift of blood count in one of these has been reported (1) previously (case 3). Of these 12, eight were eunuchoids without evidence of pituitary disease; two hid signs of pituitary disorder, one dwarfism and one roentgenologic evidence of pituitary or suprasellar neoplasm; two were sexually mature males with impotence.