The gonadotrophic response of Royal Marines during an operational deployment in Afghanistan

Summary Military training has been associated with changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis consistent with central hypogonadism. Often such changes have been associated with body mass loss, though sleep deprivation and other psychological stress may also contribute. The effects of deployment in a combat zone on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in military personnel are not known. The objective was to investigate the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in male military personnel deployed in Afghanistan. Eighty‐nine Royal Marines were investigated pre‐deployment, following 3 months in Afghanistan and following 2 weeks mid‐tour leave. Testosterone, sex hormone‐binding globulin (SHBG), follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone (LH), 17‐hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione (AD) and insulin were assayed and body mass recorded. The results showed that body mass (kg) dropped from 83.2 ± 9.2 to 79.2 ± 8.2 kg during the first 3 months of deployment (p