Compared with healthy young men, most healthy old men have low serum IGF-I, TT, and FT levels. The geriatric hyposomatomedinemia and hypogonadism are more severe in institutionalized old men. In the latter group, both endocrine deficiencies are usually of central origin, but their occurrences are not significantly associated. Healthy old men usually have a low level of IGF-I compared with healthy young men, but a similar level of IGF-II; institutionalized old men are usually low in both values.

Approximately 5% of Americans over age 65, or 1.5 million individuals, currently reside in the nations's 20,000 nursing homes. The authors present material that lead to three conclusions about this population. First, nutritional deficiencies are common underlying causes of adverse clinical outcomes. Second, nutritional deficiencies are frequently not recognized. Third, opportunities for preventing or correcting undernutrition exist, provided that the significant and reversible nature of the nutrient deficiencies are identified.

In this group of independent community-dwelling older men, several factors were found to be associated with the serum DHEAS concentration, whereas in a group of older women, no such associations were identified with the exception of BMI. Men in the highest quartile of serum DHEAS level, compared with those with a serum DHEAS level in the lowest quartile, were younger, leaner, more fit, had higher TT and FT levels, and had a favorable lipid profile. No such differences were identified between the women in the highest and the lowest quartiles of serum DHEAS level.