While known primarily for its ability to promote bone and muscle formation, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) also appears to play a strong role in regulating sperm formation. Experiments involving both cultures of Leydig cells, the testicular cells which produce sperm, and animal subjects have shown that IGF-1 and growth hormone interact with pituitary hormones to regulate reproductive and sexual function, influencing the process of spermatogenesis.1

A recent case-control study found that infertile men with low sperm counts generally have significantly reduced levels of IGF-1 in their seminal plasma, compared to fertile men.2 As the levels of IGF-1 increased, so did total sperm counts in the men's semen. "These findings suggest that IGF-1 has a role in fertility and that its derangement may be involved in male infertility," the study concluded, "especially when mediated through low sperm count and immunologic factors."2

Another study evaluated growth hormone therapy in a small group of infertile men. Growth hormone treatment resulted in increased levels of serum IGF-1 and significantly increased sperm motility (spontaneous movement), although no changes in sperm count were found. Three of the nine infertile men, whose infertility had been caused by reduced sperm motility, successfully initiated pregnancy after the growth hormone treatment.3

IGF-1 Assessment provides a dependable evaluation of IGF-1/growth hormone activity, an important means of assessing a wide variety of regenerative physiological functions in the human body.

References

1 Spiteri-Grech J, Nieschlag E. The role of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I in the regulation of male reproductive function. Horm Res 1992;38(1):22-7.

2 Colombo JB, Naz RK. Modulation of insulin-like growth factor-1 in the seminal plasma of infertile men. J Androl 1999;20(1):118-25.

3 Ovesen P, Jorgensen JO, Ingerslev J, Ho KK, Orskov H, Christiansen JS. Growth hormone treatment of subfertile males. Fertil Steril 1996 Aug;66(2):292-8.

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