Jun 08, 2024 20:00:00

Study finds that men with low testosterone are more likely to die early

A new analysis led by researchers at

the University of Western Australia found that men with low testosterone levels are more likely to die early, and that testosterone , the main male sex hormone, is important in the development of reproductive organs and secondary male sexual characteristics, such as muscle and bone mass and hair growth.

Associations of Testosterone and Related Hormones With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Men: Individual Participant Data Meta-analyses: Annals of Internal Medicine: Vol 0, No 0
https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M23-2781

Low testosterone in men associated with early death – new study
https://theconversation.com/low-testosterone-in-men-associated-with-an-early-death-new-study-229726

The team analyzed the effect of testosterone levels on lifespan using data from 11 studies that followed participants for at least five years, with a total of more than 24,000 participants, and were all of high quality.

Men's blood testosterone levels vary with age, generally being highest when they are young and decreasing with age. The average blood testosterone level is said to be 300-1000ng/dL for men in their 20s and 30s, 200-700ng/dL for men in their 40s and 50s, and 100-600ng/dL for men in their 60s and older .

The analysis found that men with baseline blood testosterone levels below 213 ng/dL were at higher risk of death, and while the study looked at mortality risk across all causes, the leading cause of death for men with low testosterone levels was heart disease.

Daniel Kelly , a senior lecturer in biochemistry at Sheffield Hallam University, who was not involved in the study, said what's interesting is that 'the same processes that underlie heart disease may also contribute to erectile dysfunction.'

'Erectile dysfunction often occurs much earlier than heart disease symptoms, and can serve as an early indicator of current or future heart disease. And because testosterone is known to have a major impact on erectile function , there's a link between testosterone levels and heart disease.'

However, testosterone levels can decrease not only due to aging, but also due to other factors such as chronic diseases. In this study, we did not investigate the cause of the decrease in testosterone levels, so we do not know whether the decrease in testosterone levels was due to chronic diseases that lead to an increased risk of death, or whether the decrease in testosterone levels increased the risk of death.

But Kelly points to a situation in prostate cancer patients that could provide a clue as to the link between declining testosterone levels and increased risk of death. As the cancer progresses, men are given drugs that drastically lower their testosterone levels, but research has shown that while this treatment improves prostate cancer, it also increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

'Low testosterone levels may be a marker of disease, but to some extent it also clearly contributes to the development of future disease, which may be fatal,' Kelly said.

To prevent testosterone levels from dropping, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid being overweight. If testosterone levels do drop, there is growing evidence that testosterone replacement therapy may help reduce the risk of heart disease and other conditions, but more research is needed to know the exact effects, Kelly concluded.