Even a single dose of morphine, an agent used to relieve distressing pain, has a long-lasting effect on testosterone levels in men, reports Science Daily.
Anna Maria Aloisi from the University of Siena in Italy, based on experiments carried out on rats, showed that opioids have a long-lasting active effect on those parts of the body that contribute to the increase in major and minor testosterone levels in the brain, liver and testes.
Opioids are a group of substances that act on naturally occurring peptides in the human body, such as endorphins and dynorphins, as well as some painkillers, opium alkaloids and their derivatives, e.g. morphine, codeine or heroin.
Researchers found an increase in the level of aromatase, an enzyme that plays a key role in estrogen biosynthesis. This cover is important because testosterone is the main substrate of aromatase, which contributes to the formation of estradiol. Both testosterone and estradiol are extremely important hormones that affect cognition, mood, motor control, bone regeneration and much more.
This cover is of great importance in the treatment of patients suffering from chronic pain. Today, the best physiotherapists, pain specialists and a whole group of health care professionals pay special attention not only to the elimination of symptoms, i.e. pain, but also to the side effects of using specific medications. They try to find the best possible way to care for patients. Marco Pappagallo, professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and director of the pain research center there.
He adds that an opioid, by inducing hypogonadism, can cause serious health complications to which some patients may react with excessive sensitivity. This includes constant fatigue, loss of endurance, emotional and sexual disturbances, and painful muscular and skeletal problems.
It is already known that patients treated with short or long term opioids show low levels of gonadal hormones. Hypogonadism (a defect in the reproductive system resulting in dysfunction of the gonads, ovaries or testes) is most commonly seen in opioid users. Even people treated with newer drugs, such as pentalyl or tramadol, have a high risk of hypogonadism. For women, the symptom will be menopause, and for men, andropause.
The use of opioids blocks the reproductive system, which results in a long-term lack of essential hormones in the blood and brain. The natural function of opioids – limiting reproduction, is intensified by the increased level and longer presence of opioids in the body.
Until a few years ago, scientists were not able to recognize this relationship. Today, although it is known, we still encounter some kind of ignorance in this matter. However, it is worth emphasizing the importance of this finding, as gonadal hormones are a common cause of chronic degenerative diseases.
Despite these adverse effects of opioids, many specialists in the treatment of chronically ill patients will continue to use them. However, they must be mindful of the demonstrated side effects, which may help them find the appropriate hormone therapy for the patient (PAP).