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Relations between sex hormone levels and sexual behavior in men

Archives of Sexual Behavior volume 15, pages 429–445 (1986)Cite this article

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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Humanbiologie, Universität Hamburg, Allende-Platz 2, D 2000, Hamburg 13, West Germany

    Rainer Knussmann Dr. rer. nat., Kerrin Christiansen Dr. Phil. Dipl.-Psych. & Catharina Couwenbergs Dipl.-Biol.

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  1. Rainer Knussmann Dr. rer. nat.
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  2. Kerrin Christiansen Dr. Phil. Dipl.-Psych.
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  3. Catharina Couwenbergs Dipl.-Biol.
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Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Project no. Kn 66/24).

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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

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01543113

Key words

  • sexual hormones
  • testosterone
  • estradiol
  • frequency of orgasms
  • sexual activity
  • sexual stimulation