Low testosterone: what's the danger?
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists have established a relationship: a low level of testosterone affects the early development in men of arthrosis, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. And the listed diseases can declare themselves before the age of 40 years.
The study was conducted to study the ratio of total testosterone, age category and the presence of chronic pathologies.
"We all know: with age, people accumulate in themselves an increasing number of diseases. We were able to determine that a low level of testosterone, as well as excess weight, can provoke the early development of many pathologies, "says Dr. Marc Peterson, an expert in the field of rehabilitation and physical medicine from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor).
It has always been believed that testosterone is primarily responsible for the appearance of male sexual characteristics. However, this function does not exhaust the hormone. Medicine has confirmed that testosterone maintains a healthy state of arterial blood vessels and bones, prevents fat deposition. Thus, it is possible to foresee in advance that a low level of hormone can indirectly and negatively affect a man's health.
"Previous studies have indicated that the synthesis of the hormone decreases with the aging of the male body. We are interested in: what is the optimal amount of testosterone should be present in the body of men at different ages to prevent the development of diseases? "- says Professor Peterson.
Scientists initiated a nationwide experiment that was conducted in the United States. The project involved more than two thousand male participants, whose age exceeded 19 years. Participants were required to provide themselves with sufficient information about age, social status, lifestyle and health status. The specialists fixed any malfunctions in the body and complaints about health, and also selected the material for the biomarker of the state of the cardiovascular system and metabolism.
It turned out that the lowered level of testosterone was associated with the development of arthrosis, depressive conditions, increased cholesterol, coronary heart disease, strokes and heart attacks, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obstructive pulmonary diseases. Scientists have found that people with listed diseases are mostly men who have been diagnosed with a reduced level of the hormone.
"We have established a strict dependent relationship of the total amount of testosterone and incidence. This suggests the following: the less the amount of the hormone in the blood, the higher the risk of secondary pathology, "explained Dr. Peterson.
Specialists also determined the critical level of total testosterone content - less than 300 ng / dl, or 10.4 nmol / liter.
Experts point out that such scientific works can not serve as evidence of a causal relationship between the amount of testosterone and the development of pathologies. Therefore, the results of the study - this is only an excuse for the following tests: first laboratory, and then - clinical. However, the conclusions of scientists should be heeded: control of testosterone levels is an important preventive measure for any man.
The results of the study are published in the Scientific Reports.
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