Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Neuropsychiatry

These are all opiate-receptor agonists they stimulate the firing of opiate receptors to produce the effects on mood and behavior. Opiates are clearly involved at a very basic level of sexual function, from early in the evolutionary chain, with effects on endocrine (hormone) function found in human and animal studies. In human subjects opiate therapy or abuse is widely associated with loss of libido (sex drive) .Opiates may shift the blood circulation from genital organs to other organs and this may cause sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction Opiates can suppress testosterone production Chronic use of opiates had long been associated with lower levels of androgens, hypogonadism, adrenal dysfunction, pituitary dysfunction, reduced bone mineral density, and growth-hormone abnormalities. In addition, some studies had suggested abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism among opiate users. Studies had shown that long-term opiate use may lead to opiate induced hypogonadism, resulting in significantly decreased testosterone levels in men

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