If a man’s testosterone is low, he has an increased chance of early mortality – specifically, perishing from heart disease. This is what was discovered during a medical investigation centered on men in the U.K. between the ages of forty to seventy nine years old and sponsored by the University of Cambridge, conducted by gerontologist Kay-Tee Khaw, MBBCh, and associates.
Men who had reduced amounts of testosterone had a higher risk of dying for virtually any reason, but most specifically from cardiovascular disease, according to researcher Shaw. Cancer was studied closely as well but there was no proof established that cancer was linked at all to high quantities of testosterone.
In total almost twelve thousand men had signed on to participate in the lengthy investigation from 1993 until 1997. Over eight hundred of the participants passed away by the year 2003; researchers paralleling this group of contributors and their level of testosterone to about 1500 live trial contributors from the remaining group.
Subsequent to certain modifications to things that could impact the chances of dying, such as weight, age, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, exercise, education and social standing – the connection with testosterone and premature mortality continued. When evaluated against males with the lowest quartile – twenty five percent – of testosterone quantity they determined the following:
• Males in the second to last quartile had twenty five percent a less likelihood of mortality.
• Those males in the second to highest quartile had a thirty eight percent less chance of mortality.
• The men in the top quartile had a forty one percent less chance of perishing.
The researchers established that lower testosterone forecasts premature death in males over approximately the next ten years, but they believed that this determination had to be repeated. The hope is that more research is committed to observe this theory in other groups of men to see if the identical outcome is achieved.
These discoveries are logical according to a professional peer from the University of Rochester in New York, who states that less testosterone is normal in men who have metabolic syndrome – a condition that features high risk health such as fat abdominal region, elevated blood glucose, hypertension, reduced HDH cholesterol and elevated blood fats.
The factors established by the investigation are not overly surprising to this researcher professional since the results found mirror what is already understood about metabolic syndrome and its related health risk symptoms like heart disease and diabetes etc. Testing for testosterone levels in those with metabolic syndrome is something that physicians are becoming more sensitive to.
Further Testosterone Therapy Research Is Required
Reduced testosterone might be dire, but it is not understood whether or not testosterone replacement therapy could reverse the situation. Clinical studies are the only real determining factor whether or not testosterone replacement would reduce the chances of dying from lowered testosterone levels and its associated health issues. It is a paradox that researchers have been avoiding this kind of testosterone evaluations on men since it is this type of therapy that could raise the chances of men acquiring prostate cancer.
This latest trial might give some comfort to those considering new studies of testosterone replacement therapies according to Shaw. Many men think that testosterone treatments would help their failing health but treatments have been shunned due to the prostate cancer risk.
The concern is that certain physicians might be overly careful about prescribing testosterone replacement therapy for patients with levels of testosterone that are dangerously reduced. The problem itself is under diagnosed with little treatment taking place. One of the untruths is that androgen replacement therapy can result in cancer.
It is true that when androgen is removed, prostate cancer regresses but there is precious little proof that replacement therapies returning levels back to normal will elevate the chances of contracting cancer – in fact there is some verification that it might reduce it.
Thu, Oct 7, 2010
Anti Aging, Bioscience, Health And Aging, Longevity