Variation in Pituitary-Gonadal Function in Adolescent Male Homosexuals and Heterosexuals

ABSTRACT Twenty-eight consecutive daily determinations of FSH, LH and testosterone were made in 6 adolescent male homosexuals and 6 male heterosexuals matched for bone age and pubertal stage. All were in the same daily institutionalized regimen. All values for FSH (4.5–11.0 mIU/ml), LH (8.5–16.0 mIU/ml), and testosterone (274–1192 ng/100) were within normal limits for bone age and pubertal development. The hormonal values of homosexuals did not differ significantly from those of the heterosexuals. However, there was great day-to-day variation in FSH, LH and testosterone, thus indicating that single determinations do not necessarily give a clear picture of the pituitarygonadal axis. These data do not support the findings of others where only single determinations of these hormones indicated a difference between homosexuals and heterosexuals.