Abstract
Using a sample of 33 healthy young men, 6 blood samples were obtained in the course of 2 weeks, and testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and estradiol levels determined. The amount of free testosterone in the saliva was also ascertained for 23 of the subjects. All participants kept a daily record of their sexual activity during the investigational period. An interindividual comparison revealed a significant positive correlation between serum testosterone levels and the frequency of orgasms as well as a significant negative correlation between estradiol concentrations and the frequency of sexual activity without orgasm. The comparison of hormone levels to sexual behavior, prior to and after the individual sampling, reveals significant positive correlations between the serum testosterone and the extent of the preceding sexual stimulation, and between the total testosterone and the free testosterone on the one hand and both the preceding and subsequent frequency of orgasms on the other. The estradiol levels showed a significant negative correlation with both the preceding and the subseqent frequencies of sexual activity without orgasm.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bancroft, J. (1978). The relationship between hormones and sexual behaviour in humans. In Hutchinson, J. B. (eds.),Biological Determinants of Sexual Behaviour. Wiley, New York.
Bancroft, J. (1983).Human Sexuality and its Problems. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh.
Brown, W. A., Monti, P. M., and Corriveau, D. P. (1978). Serum testosterone and sexual activity and interest in men.Arch. Sex. Behav. 7: 97–103.
Christiansen, K., Knussmann, R., and Couwenbergs, C. (1985). Sex hormones and stress in the human male.Horm. Behav. 19: 426–440.
Couwenbergs, C., Knussmann, R., and Christiansen, K. (1986). Comparisons of the intra-and inter-individual variability in sex hormone levels of men.Ann. Hum. Biol. 13: 63–72.
Davidson, J. M., Chen, J. J., Crapo, L., Gray, G. D., Greenleaf, W. J. and Catania, J. A. (1983). Hormonal changes and sexual function in aging men.J. Clin. Endrocrinol. Metab. 57: 71–77.
Doering, C. H., Brodie, H. K. H., Kraemer, H., Becker, H., and Hamburg, D. A. (1974). Plasma testosterone levels and psychologic measures in men over a 2-month period. In Friedman, R. C., Richart, R. M., Van de Wiele, R. L., and Stern, L. D.,Sex Differences in Behavior. Wiley, New York.
Ferguson, D. B. (1984). Physiological considerations in the use of salivary steroid estimation for clinical investigations. In Ferguson, D. B.,Steroid Hormones in Saliva Karger, Basel.
Fox, C. A., Ismail, A. A. A., Love, D. N., Kirkham, K. E., and Loraine, J. A. (1972). Studies on the relationship between plasma testosterone levels and human sexual activity.J. Endocrinol. 52: 51–58.
Khan-Dawood, F. S., Choe, J. K., and Dawood, M. Y. (1984). Salivary and plasma bound and “free” testosterone in men and women.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 148: 441–445.
Knussmann, R., Couwenbergs, C., Christiansen, K., and Fischer-Brügge, U. (1985). Relations between the intra-individual variability in sex hormone levels of men and several other factors.Coll. Antropol. 9: 189–199.
Kraemer, H. C., Becker, H. B., Brodie, H. K. H., Doering, C. H., Moos, R. H., and Hamburg, D. A. (1976). Orgasmic frequency and plasma testosterone levels in normal human males.Arch. Sex. Behav. 5: 125–132.
LaFerla, J. J., Anderson, D. L., and Schalch, D. S. (1978). Psychoendocrine response to sexual arousal in human males.Psychosomat. Med. 40: 166–172.
Lee, P. A., Jaffe, R. B., and Midgley, A. R. (1974). Lack of alteration of serum gonadotropins in men and women following sexual intercourse.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 120: 985–987.
Lienert, G. A. (1978).Verteilungsfreie Methoden in der Biostatistik. 2. Aufl., Bd. 2. A. Hain, Meisenheim.
Lincoln, G. A. (1974). Luteinising hormone and testosterone in man.Nature 252: 232–233.
Luisi, M., Bernini, P., Genovese, A. del, Birindelli, R., Barletta, D., Gasperi, M., and Franchi, F. (1980). Radioimmunoassay for “free” testosterone in human saliva.J. Steroid Biochem. 12: 513–516.
Monti, P. M., Brown, W. A., and Corriveau, D. P. (1977). Testosterone and components of aggressive and sexual behavior in man.Am. J. Psychiat. 134: 692–694.
Nieschlag, E. (1979). The endocrine function of the human testis in regard to sexuality. InSex, Hormones and Behaviour. Ciba Foundation Symposium 62, Excerpta Medica, Amsterdam.
Nieschlag, E., and Loriaux, D. L. (1972). Radioimmunoassay for plasma-testosterone.Z. klin. Chem. klin. Biochem. 10: 164–168.
Nieschlag, E., and Wickings, E. J. (1981). The role of testosterone in the evaluation of testicular function. In Abraham, G. E. (ed.),Radioassay Systems in Clinical Endocrinology Marcel Denker, New York.
Persky, H., Lief, H. I., Strauss,, D., Miller, W. R., and O'Brien, C. P. (1978). Plasma testosterone level and sexual behavior of couples.Arch. Sex. Behav. 7: 157–173.
Pirke, K. M., Kockott, G., and Dittmar, F. (1974). Psychosexual stimulation and plasma testosterone in man.Arch. Sex. Behav. 6: 577–584.
Purvis, K., Landgren, B.-M., Cekan, Z., and Diczfalusy, E. (1976). Endocrine effects of masturbation in men.J. Endocrinol. 70: 439–444.
Schmidt, G. (1983). Motivationale Grundlagen sexuellen Verhaltens. In Thomae, H. (ed.),Psychologie der Motive. Hogrefe, Göttingen.
Schürmeyer, T., Wickings, E. J., Freischem, C. W., and Nieschlag, E. (1983). Saliva and serum testosterone following oral testosterone undecanoate administration in normal and hypogonadal men.Acta Endocrinol. 102: 456–462.
Smith, R. G., Besch, P. K., Dill, B., and Buttram, V. C. (1979). Saliva as a matrix for measuring free androgens: Comparison with serum androgens in polycystic ovarian disease.Fertil. Steril. 31: 513–517.
Stearns, E. L., Winter, J. S. D., and Faiman, C. (1973). Effects of coitus on gonadotropin, prolactin and sex steroid levels in man.J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 37: 687–691.
Walker, R. F., Wilson, D. W., Read, G. F., and Riad-Fahmy, D. (1980). Assessment of testicular function by the radioimmunoassay of testosterone in saliva.Int. J. Androl. 3: 105–120.
Wang, C., Plymate, S., Nieschlag, E., and Paulson, C. A. (1981). Salivary testosterone in men: Further evidence of a direct correlation with free serum testosterone.J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 53: 1021–1024.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Project no. Kn 66/24).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Knussmann, R., Christiansen, K. & Couwenbergs, C. Relations between sex hormone levels and sexual behavior in men. Arch Sex Behav 15, 429–445 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543113
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543113