Age-Related Changes in Serum Testosterone and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin in Australian Men: Longitudinal Analyses of Two Geographically Separate Regional Cohorts

Liu, Yang; Beilin, Jonathan; Meier, Christian; Nguyen, Tuan V.; Leedman, Peter J.; Seibel, Markus J.; Eisman, John A.; Handelsman, David J.

doi:10.1210/jc.2007-0862

Cited by 130 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In agreement with our previous cross-sectional findings, and other longitudinal studies (1,3,4,5,6,7,8,30,31,32), the present results confirm that testosterone and FT declined while SHBG and LH increased with age, with the mean hormone levels remaining well within the physiological range. The overall pattern of changes in the HPT axis was consistent with a progressive age-related impairment of testicular function, partially compensated for by an increase in LH.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Age-associated changes in hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular function in middle-aged and older men are modified by weight change and lifestyle factors: longitudinal results from the European Male Ageing Study

Camacho

Huhtaniemi

O'Neill

et al. 2013

European Journal of Endocrinology

337

232

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Objective: Health and lifestyle factors are associated with variations in serum testosterone levels in ageing men. However, it remains unclear how age-related changes in testosterone may be attenuated by lifestyle modifications. The objective was to investigate the longitudinal relationships between changes in health and lifestyle factors with changes in hormones of the reproductive endocrine axis in ageing men. Design: A longitudinal survey of 2736 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years at baseline recruited from eight centres across Europe. Follow-up assessment occurred mean (GS.D.) 4.4G0.3 years later. Results: Paired testosterone results were available for 2395 men. Mean (GS.D.) annualised hormone changes were as follows: testosterone K0.1G0.95 nmol/l; free testosterone (FT) K3.83 G16.8 pmol/l; sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) 0.56G2.5 nmol/l and LH 0.08G0.57 U/l. Weight loss was associated with a proportional increase, and weight gain a proportional decrease, in testosterone and SHBG. FT showed a curvilinear relationship to weight change; only those who gained or lost R15% of weight showed a significant change (in the same direction as testosterone). Smoking cessation was associated with a greater decline in testosterone than being a non-smoker, which was unrelated to weight change. Changes in number of comorbid conditions or physical activity were not associated with significant alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis function. Conclusions: Body weight and lifestyle factors influence HPT axis function in ageing. Weight loss was associated with a rise, and weight gain a fall, in testosterone, FT and SHBG. Weight management appears to be important in maintaining circulating testosterone in ageing men, and obesity-associated changes in HPT axis hormones are reversible following weight reduction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Age-associated changes in hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular function in middle-aged and older men are modified by weight change and lifestyle factors: longitudinal results from the European Male Ageing Study

Camacho

Huhtaniemi

O'Neill

et al. 2013

European Journal of Endocrinology

337

232

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of men aged 30 or 40 years and above, total, bioavailable and free testosterone concentrations fall with increasing age with a steeper decline in bioavailable and free compared with total testosterone concentrations. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] It is noteworthy that the falls in total and bioavailable or free testosterone levels are consistently greater in longitudinal studies than in cross-sectional analyses. 11,12 Thus, in the Massachusetts Male Aging Study of 1709 men aged 40-70 years at baseline, total testosterone declined cross-sectionally by 0.8% per year of age compared with a 2% decline in free and bioavailable testosterone, whereas the longitudinal declines within participating men were 1.6 and 2-3% per year of age, respectively.…”

Section: Testosterone Levels Decline As Men Grow Oldermentioning

confidence: 99%

Are declining testosterone levels a major risk factor for ill-health in aging men?

Yeap

2008

Int J Impot Res

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As men grow older, testosterone levels fall, with a steeper decline in unbound or free testosterone compared with total testosterone concentrations. Lower testosterone levels have been associated with poorer cognitive function, and with impaired general and sexual health in aging men. Recently, lower testosterone levels have been linked with metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes, both conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, and shown to predict higher overall and cardiovascular-related mortality in middle-aged and older men. However, reverse causation has to be considered, as systemic illness may result in reduced testosterone levels. Thus, the strength of these associations and the likely direction of causation need to be carefully considered. Furthermore, these conditions may overlap, for example aging, lower testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease are interrelated. Cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies may be informative. However, ultimately randomized controlled trials of testosterone therapy are needed to clarify its role in the maintenance of general and sexual health in aging men. Testosterone therapy should be considered in hypogonadal men who meet rigorous criteria for the diagnosis of androgen deficiency. Additional consideration should be given to designing and testing interventions that may prevent or ameliorate the age-related decline in testosterone levels in men.

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“…In younger men improvement of the symptoms of hypogonadism upon testosterone replacement has been convincingly proven. Presently, the statistical decline of serum testosterone in aging men is solidly documented [1,3]. So, it is tempting to associate the above described features of aging to the concurrent decline of androgen action in the elderly, and to assume that correction of the lower-than-normal circulating levels of testosterone will lead to improvement of signs and symptoms of aging.…”

Section: Late Onset Hypogonadism (Loh) Vs Classical Hypogonadismmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The progressive decline of testosterone in aging men is supported by scientific evidence [1,3]. Whether older hypogonadal men will benefit from testosterone treatment and what will be the risks associated with such intervention can only be resolved by sufficiently powered studies.…”

Section: Safety Of Testosterone Administration To Elderly Menmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…But further studies have substantiated that, with age, a significant percentage of men over the age of 60 years have serum testosterone levels below the lower limits of normal for young adult men (aged 20-30 years) [2,3]. Now, 30-40 years later, the pathophysiological implications of this decline, sometimes amounting to outright testosterone deficiency, have become clearer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Androgens and male aging: current evidence of safety and efficacy

Gooren¹

2010

Asian J Androl

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Many signs of aging, such as sexual dysfunction, visceral obesity, impaired bone and muscle strength, bear a close resemblance to features of hypogonadism in younger men. The statistical decline of serum testosterone in aging men is solidly documented. It has been presumed that the above features of aging are related to the concurrent decline of androgens, and that correction of the lower-than-normal circulating levels of testosterone will lead to improvement of symptoms of aging. But in essence, the pivotal question whether the age-related decline of testosterone must be viewed as hypogonadism, in the best case reversed by testosterone treatment, has not been definitively resolved. Studies in elderly men with lower-than-normal testosterone report improvement of features of the metabolic syndrome, bone mineral density, of mood and of sexual functioning. But as yet there is no definitive proof of the beneficial effects of restoring testosterone levels to normal in elderly men on clinical parameters. Few of these studies meet as yet rigorous standards of scientific enquiry: double-blind, placebo-controlled design of the study. The above applies also to the assessment of safety of testosterone administration to elderly men. There is so far no convincing evidence that testosterone is a main factor in the development of prostate cancer in elderly men and guidelines for monitoring the development of prostate disease have been developed. It is of note that there are presently no long-term safety data with regard to the prostate. Polycythemia is another potential complication of testosterone treatment. It is dose dependent and can be managed with dose adjustment.

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Age-Related Changes in Serum Testosterone and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin in Australian Men: Longitudinal Analyses of Two Geographically Separate Regional Cohorts

Abstract: Background: Cross-sectional studies from different populations show a variable decline in blood testosterone concentrations as men age. Few population representative cohorts have been followed up over time.

Cited by 130 publications

References 19 publications

Age-associated changes in hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular function in middle-aged and older men are modified by weight change and lifestyle factors: longitudinal results from the European Male Ageing Study

Age-associated changes in hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular function in middle-aged and older men are modified by weight change and lifestyle factors: longitudinal results from the European Male Ageing Study

Are declining testosterone levels a major risk factor for ill-health in aging men?

Androgens and male aging: current evidence of safety and efficacy

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