According to a new study, low testosterone among men is linked to a higher death risk.
Low Testosterone and Health Risks
The new study "Associations of Testosterone and Related Hormones With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Men: Individual Participant Data Meta-analyses" reports that having low testosterone levels could affect the risk of men developing cardiovascular disease, as well as death risk.
More specifically, men who had low serum testosterone at the baseline had a higher risk of dying due to various causes, while those with exceptionally low baseline levels had an added higher risk of dying due to CVD.
The researchers wanted to examine if low testosterone played a role in putting men at risk for such health issues. The researchers then collected 11 studies, covering 24,000 people, to examine how testosterone levels could affect death risk among older men.
Previously, the men from the selected studies had their general testosterone levels gauged via mass spectrometry. They were also followed up for at least five years.
The authors got to collect data regarding the baseline levels of different hormones, such as globulin, estradiol, dihydrotestosterone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone. They then searched for any links between such levels and the relative risks of people for cardiovascular cases, cardiovascular deaths, and deaths due to any kind of cause.
The researchers found that men who had a low total testosterone, under 7.4 nmol/L, had a higher risk of dying due to any cause. Moreover, men with extremely low testosterone levels, under 5.3 nmol/L, had an increased risk of dying due to CVD.
Why Low Testosterone May Affect Death Risk
However, according to Karen Eilber, a urologist and book author, explains that what is not clear is if levels of testosterone directly affect death from such causes or if low levels of the hormone signify generally poor health.
The authors suggest that one reason behind why low levels of this hormone is linked to worse health is due to how low testosterone leads to the accumulation of less muscle mass and greater fat. Both of them are CVD risk factors.
Low levels of this hormone could also be linked to other health problems that accompany it, triggering a greater death risk.
S. Adam Ramin, MD, the medical director at Urology Cancer Specialists and a board certified urologist and urologic oncologist, explains that there are several potential health issues that could be linked to low testosterone. Ramin notes that some systemic medical problems linked to low levels of this hormone include muscle mass loss, bone density loss, fatigue, moodiness, depression, and weight gain. He also adds that low testosterone could lead to strokes, heart attacks, and death.
Dealing with Low Testosterone
For men with low testosterone levels, Ramin says that there are various things that can help increase their levels.
These include weight loss, having quality sleep, not smoking pot, avoiding foods that are processed, avoiding alcohol, engaging in cardiovascular exercise for 30 to 45 minutes at least thrice a week, eating two to four eggs with yolk each week, drinking two or more liters of water daily, and avoiding soy products.
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