Study shows higher testosterone levels
may help older men preserve muscle mass
and delay frailty as they age
October 27, 2011--A recent study accepted for
publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of
Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that
higher levels of testosterone were associated with
reduced loss of lean muscle mass in older men,
especially in those who were losing weight. In these
men, higher testosterone levels were also associated
with less loss of lower body strength.
Loss of muscle mass and strength contribute to frailty
and are associated with falls, mobility limitations and
fractures. Men lose more muscle mass and strength than
women as they age, suggesting that sex steroids, and
testosterone in particular, may contribute to body
composition and physical function changes.
This study sought to better understand the
relationship between testosterone levels and
healthy aging in older men and found that
higher testosterone levels may help older
men preserve muscle mass and delay frailty
as they age.
"Our study finds that men, aged 65 years and older, with
higher testosterone levels lost less muscle mass,
especially in their arms and legs, than men this age who
had lower testosterone levels," said Erin LeBlanc, MD,
of Kaiser Permanente Northwest in Portland, OR and lead
author of the study. "Men who had higher testosterone
levels before they lost weight also lost less leg
function and could stand up more easily from a chair
than men who had lower testosterone levels before they
lost weight."
In this study, researchers used data from 1,183 men aged
65 years or older and tested the hypothesis that higher
baseline measures of sex steroids are associated with
lesser declines in lean mass and maintenance of physical
performance over an average follow-up of 4.5 years. Body
composition was measured using dual energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DXA) scans and physical performance was
measured through a series of exercises that assessed
grip strength, lower extremity power, walking speed and
the ability to rise from a chair without the use of
arms.
"The amount of testosterone men have in their bodies may
contribute to how much muscle and strength they lose as
they get older," said LeBlanc. "Our study adds evidence
to the growing body of literature that suggest higher
levels of endogenous testosterone may be favorably
associated with some key components of healthy aging in
men."
... ..
...
...
