Is Declining Testosterone Life-Shortening?

Robert W. Griffith, MD

We've mentioned the fall in blood testosterone levels in older men before. Now a larger study reported at the Endocrine Society Meeting shows that those old men with low testosterone carry a higher mortality risk.

The study participants were men aged 50 to 90 who lived in Rancho Bernardo, California, and who had been studied for an average of 18 years. Ten years after enrollment almost a third of them (29%) had low blood testosterone, i.e. below the lower limit of the range for young male adults. The men with a low testosterone had a 33% higher risk of death over the next 18 years. Factors such as smoking, alcohol, physical activity, diabetes, and cardiac disease did not affect the results.

The men with low testosterone levels were more likely to have higher levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and TNF-alpha; a bigger waist girth; and the metabolic syndrome (linked with a greater girth).

The authors suggest that older men with low testosterone levels might do better with weight control and exercise than by taking supplemental testosterone. However, a study at the University of California, San Diego, will explore this further. To date, there's no evidence that supplemental testosterone will help men live longer. However, if you have testosterone deficiency associated with one or more of the following:

- Decreased energy
- Reduced muscle mass and strength
- Decreased cognitive function
- Less sexual interest or potency
- Depressed mood

See your doctor about whether supplemental hormone therapy is desirable.

Source
HealthandAge Blog

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