Estradiol, Testosterone, and Hip Fractures in Men

Researchers writing in The American Journal of Medicine say “Men with low estradiol levels are at an increased risk for future hip fracture. Men with both low estradiol and low testosterone levels seem to be at greatest risk for hip fracture.”

Estradiol, Testosterone, and Hip Fractures in Men.
Shreyasee A, Zhang Y, Felson DT, Sawin CT, Hannan MT, Wilson PWF, Kiel DP. Estradiol, Testosterone, and the Risk for Hip Fractures in Elderly Men from the Framingham Study. The American Journal of Medicine Volume 119, Issue 5 , May 2006, Pages 426-433

Testosterone, Alzheimer’s, Mood and Quality of Life

Effects of Testosterone on Cognition and Mood in Male Patients With Mild Alzheimer Disease and Healthy Elderly Men. Lu PH, Masterman DA, Mulnard R, Cotman C, Miller B, Yaffe K, Reback E, Porter V, Swerdloff R, Cummings JL. Arch Neurol. 2005 Dec 12

From the study abstract: “There is a compelling need for therapies that prevent, defer the onset, slow the progression, or improve the symptoms of Alzheimer disease (AD).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of testosterone therapy on cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and quality of life in male patients with mild AD and healthy elderly men.

RESULTS: For the patients with AD, the testosterone-treated group had significantly greater improvements in the scores on the caregiver version of the quality-of-life scale. No significant treatment group differences were detected in the cognitive scores at end of study, although numerically greater improvement or less decline on measures of visuospatial functions was demonstrated with testosterone treatment compared with placebo.

In the healthy control group, a nonsignificant trend toward greater improvement in self-rated quality of life was observed in the testosterone-treated group compared with placebo treatment. No difference between the treatment groups was detected in the remaining outcome measures. Testosterone treatment was well tolerated with few adverse effects relative to placebo.”

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that testosterone replacement therapy improved overall quality of life in patients with AD. Testosterone had minimal effects on cognition.

Read the abstract

Link Between Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

March 14, 2006
Testosterone Replacement Therapy and the Risk of Prostate Cancer. Is there a link?

Writing in the Canadian Journal of Urology, Researcher Abraham Morgentaler of the Division of Urology, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, says that “there is an absence of scientific data supporting the concept that higher testosterone levels are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.”

Specifically, no increased risk of prostate cancer was noted in 1) clinical trials of testosterone supplementation, 2) longitudinal population-based studies, or 3) in a high-risk population of hypogonadal men receiving testosterone treatment. Moreover, hypogonadal men have a substantial rate of biopsy-detectable prostate cancer, suggesting that low testosterone has no protective effect against development of prostate cancer.

These results argue against an increased risk of prostate cancer with testosterone replacement therapy.

Morgentaler A.Testosterone replacement therapy and prostate risks: where’s the beef? Can J Urol. 2006 Feb;13 Suppl 1:40-3. Read the abstract

From our December 6, 2005 Newsletter
An article by Susan Brink of the Los Angeles Times recently appeared in newspapers around the country discussing the link between testosterone and prostate cancer.

The article says “The belief that testosterone increases the risk of prostate cancer is so widely accepted that study after study that tries to show it and can’t keeps getting repeated over and over,” says Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, a Boston urologist and author of the 2004 review. “People don’t believe it.”

Here is a press release from the Harvard Medical School.

“Boston–January 2004, Harvard Medical School affiliate Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center–A retrospective analysis by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center published in The New England Journal of Medicine found no causal relationship between testosterone replacement and prostate cancer or heart disease risk. The comprehensive review of 72 studies, addresses the current controversy about testosterone replacement therapy and its potential health risks to men.”

Low Testosterone and the Pro-Inflammatory State in Aging Men

Researchers writing in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation “suggest that a close relationship exists between the development of a pro-inflammatory state and the decline in Testosterone levels” and that “observational and interventional studies suggest that Testosterone supplementation reduces inflammatory markers in both young and old hypogonadal men. ”

Maggio M, Basaria S, Ceda GP, Ble A, Ling SM, Bandinelli S, Valenti G, Ferrucci L. The relationship between testosterone and molecular markers of inflammation in older men. J Endocrinol Invest. 2005;28(11 Suppl 2):116-9.

Other Links
Testosterone for Men
Testosterone and Bone Loss in Elderly Men
Older Men and Testosterone
More Testosterone Research Concerning Older Men
Testosterone replacement therapy and the risk of prostate cancer
Testosterone, Estrogen and Bone Loss
Risk factors for testosterone loss in aging men

The medicinal value of testicles have been documented in the Bible, the writings of the ancient Egyptians and from India. Indeed, nearly every ancient culture believed that the testicles held some form of masculine power. From our Age Management Booklet…read more

More Body Mass…Diminished Testosterone

Osuna C JA, Gomez-Perez R, Arata-Bellabarba G, Villaroel V. Relationship between bmi, total testosterone, sex hormone-binding-globulin, leptin, insulin and insulin resistance in obese men. Arch Androl. 2006 Sep-Oct;52(5):355-61

From the study abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the relationship between sex steroid hormones, sex hormone-binding-globulin, leptin, insulin and insulin resistance in obese men. Anthropometrical indexes, total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding-globulin (SHBG), glucemia, insulin and leptin were measured in 77 men, with ages between 20 and 60 years.

According to their body mass index (BMI), subjects were grouped into three categories: normal body weight, overweight and obese group.

Total testosterone and SHBG concentrations were lower in the obese group compared with normal and overweight subjects.

The mean insulin concentration was significantly higher in the obese group compared with the other groups.

Our results shows that in a sample of men, total testosterone and SHBG concentrations proportionally diminished with both the increase of BMI and insulin resistance index.

Androgen Deficiency, Metabolic Syndrome and Non-Obese Men

Researchers writing in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism report that “Low SHBG, total testosterone, or AD (Androgen Deficiency) may be early markers of MetS (Metabolic Syndrome) in nonobese men, providing a warning sign in men otherwise considered at lower risk of developing MetS and subsequent diabetes or cardiovascular disease.”

From the study: “Low serum SHBG, low total testosterone, and clinical AD are associated with increased risk of developing MetS over time, particularly in non-overweight middle-aged men.”

You can read the abstract here and link to the a free copy of the entire study from there.
Kupelian V, Page ST, Araujo AB, Bremner WJ, McKinlay JB. Low SHBG, Total Testosterone, and Symptomatic Androgen with Development of the Metabolic Syndrome. J Clin Endocrin Metab. January 4, 2006

Low Testosterone and Men Over 45

Researchers writing in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, studied the prevalence of hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency) in men age 45 and over and found that nearly 39% of men over 45 suffered from hypogonadism. They noted “Odds ratios for having hypogonadism were significantly higher in men with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, obesity, prostate disease and asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in men without these conditions.”

Mulligan T, Frick MF, Zuraw QC, Stemhagen A, McWhirter C. Prevalence of hypogonadism in males aged at least 45 years: the HIM study. Int J Clin Pract. 2006 Jun 2

Risk Factors for Testosterone Loss in Aging Men

Ponholzer A, Plas E, Schatzl G, Struhal G, Brossner C, Mock K, Rauchenwald M, Madersbacher S. Relationship between testosterone serum levels and lifestyle in aging men. Aging Male. 2005 Sep-Dec;8(3):190-3.

From the article abstract: “The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum levels of testosterone and free testosterone to lifestyle in aging males. Methods. Men between 45 and 85 years were assessed regarding body mass index (BMI), nicotine and alcohol consumption, stress level, physical and social activity, and sleeping quality by a self-administered questionnaire.”

The researchers concluded that the following were risk factors:
“This prospective study of 375 men aged 45 to 85 years confirms the correlation between age, BMI and smoking with serum levels of testosterone and free testosterone, whereas the investigated variety of lifestyle factors did not show a significant association to serum androgen levels.”

Loss of Libido

Sexual activity and perceived health – middle-aged women
Finnish researchers asked women between 42-46 and other women between 52-56 years old, how important issues of libido and intimacy where to their quality of life. The reported their findings in Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.

Testosterone and Libido in Post Menopausal Women
Researchers writing in the medical journal Gynecological Endocrinology say that there is emerging evidence that androgens are significant independent determinants affecting libido and satisfaction, as well as mood, energy and other components of women’s health.

Testosterone in postmenopausal women
An article in the medical journal Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology says that testosterone therapy is a promising option for treating women with HSDD (very low libido or desire)

Older Men and Testosterone
From the study abstract: “Male hypogonadism is a clinical situation characterized by a low serum testosterone level in combination with a diversity of symptoms and signs such as reduced libido and vitality, decreased muscle mass, increased fat mass and depression.

Dr. Darrow Interviewed on KCAL-9
CBS News August 3, 2006

Desire, Arousal, and Satisfaction in Aging Women
Researchers writing ion the medical journal Minerva ginecologica examined issues related to aging and desire and arousal.

Male and Female Intimacy Dysfunctions
Researchers writing in the medical journal Lancet report on endocrine disease and male and female intimacy dysfunctions.

Intimacy, Urinary, and Depressive Problems In Women Who Have Partners With E.D.
Researchers writing in the medical journal World Journal of Urology say that FSD disorders, urinary symptoms and depressive symptoms are common in partners of men with ED.

Older Men and Testosterone

This study is sponsored by University Hospital of North Norway
From the study abstract: “Male hypogonadism is a clinical situation characterized by a low serum testosterone level in combination with a diversity of symptoms and signs such as reduced libido and vitality, decreased muscle mass, increased fat mass and depression. Similar symptoms in combination with subnormal testosterone levels are seen in some elderly men. Similar symptoms in combination with subnormal testosterone levels are seen in some elderly men. Low testosterone levels are associated with known cardiovascular risk factors, and men with diabetes and stroke have lower testosterone levels than healthy men. Even though several publications have suggested that testosterone treatment in hypogonadal men may have beneficial effects, it is still uncertain if testosterone substitution in the aging man is indicated. Despite this uncertainty the sale of testosterone has increased enormously the last few years.

We hypothesize that older men with subnormal testosterone levels have a varying degree of dysfunction/symptoms both physically and mentally, and that these dysfunction/symptoms can be improved with testosterone treatment.

Read more about this study at clinicaltrial.gov

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