Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF TESTOSTERONE AND OESTROGEN LEVELS OF YOUNG ADULTS MALE SMOKERS OF MARIJUANA (CANNABIS SATIVUS) IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA

Ebirien-Agana Samuel Bartimaeus*, Owunari D. Horsfall and Stella Urekweru Ken-Ezihuo

ABSTRACT

The use of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) in Nigeria is considered particularly high and could have damaging consequences. Thus, this study was designed to assess testosterone and oestrogen levels of young adult males involved with marijuana use in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The study population includes; 90 males comprising 50 marijuana (smokers) and 40 (non smokers), their age ranging between 17-41 years and the duration of marijuana use was between 0.6 to 15years. Measurement of the weight, height and waist circumference was done using standard procedures. BMI and WHR were derived appropriately and serum testosterone and estrogen levels were determined by a microplate enzyme immunoassay kit. The study shows that the mean ±SD of BMI for the smokers and non smokers was 22.60 ± 3.41kg/m2 and 21.37 ± 1.96 kg/m2, WHR was 0.86 ± 0.05 and 0.90 ± 0.11, testosterone was 6.94 ± 2.64 ng/mL and 7.37 ± 2.25 ng/mL and estrogen was 12.45 ±15.21 ng/mL and 9.40 ± 5.32 ng/mL respectively. While significant difference (p<0.05) was seen between the means of BMI, others did not show significant differences (p>0.05). The average smoking period was 4.97 ± 3.57 years and T/E ratio was 0.56. No significant correlations was seen between testosterone and estrogen and the other parameters in both smokers and non smokers but testosterone was positively correlated (r=0.27) with estrogen in the smokers (p<0.05). The study shows that even in the population studied, the levels of testosterone and estrogen was reduced in the smokers when compared with the non smokers and the effect of duration of expoure to smoking was also inconsistent. The implication of the finding is that marijuana could have damaging effects on the fertility profile of smokers in Port Harcourt. Thus efforts short be doubled to educate youths on the danger of this practice on their procreativity potential.

Keywords: Male, obesity, infertility, testosterone, estrogen, body mass index, waist to hip ratio.