Abstract

*Egbovwe E. Matthew, Akintola Adenuga and Odimeagwe P. Eze

Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen groups, secreted primarily in the testicles of males. Studies have shown that testosterone production will also boost growth. The present study was carried out to study the effect of short-term administration of testosterone on serum growth hormone concentration, body mass index (BMI) and body weight in adult male rats. Twenty-one male rats were divided into three (3) groups of seven (7) rats each; a control group, a low-dose and a high-dose testosterone group. Normal saline was administered intramuscularly to the control group, while 2.5 and 6.25 mg/d of testosterone propionate were administered intramuscularly to the low-dose and high-dose groups, respectively, for fourteen (14) days. The body weight and the length of the rats were recorded for calculation of the body mass index. Blood samples for serum growth hormone assay were collected via cardiac puncture. Results showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in the serum growth hormone concentration in the high dose testosterone group when compared to the control while changes recorded in the BMI and body weight were not significant. It was concluded that testosterone can exert its anabolic effects by acting synergistically with the anabolic effects of growth hormone.