Testosterone helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, more. And it’s not just for men...
The sex hormone
testosterone gives a man his beard, deep voice and
sex drive. It also may give all of us—men and women—better health and a
longer life.
Research shows that low levels of testosterone may increase the risk
for heart disease, stroke,
type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and
Alzheimer’s disease.
Low testosterone also can trigger fatigue, low
libido, erectile dysfunction, enlarged prostate (
benign prostatic hyperplasia), muscular weakness, poor endurance, irritability, poor concentration and poor memory. What you need to know now…
LIVE LONGER
An estimated 40% of men age 45 and older have
testosterone deficiency—total testosterone below 300 ng/dL. (This phenomenon is called by various names, including
andropause, male menopause and
hypogonadism.) This deficiency is linked to…
Cardiovascular disease (CVD). In a four-year study,
men with one risk factor for heart disease (such as high blood pressure)
were four times more likely to develop CVD if they had low
testosterone. Other studies link low testosterone to an increased risk
for stroke, blood clots, high total cholesterol, high
LDL “bad”
cholesterol and
arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats that can
trigger a heart attack or stroke). One such study concluded that
“testosterone levels may be a stronger predictor of coronary artery
disease than high cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and
body mass index.”
Metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic
syndrome—a risk factor for type 2 diabetes—is a constellation of health
problems that can include insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, high
blood pressure, high triglycerides and low HDL “good” cholesterol. In a
recent two-year study, metabolic syndrome was
completely reversed in 65% of men on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Osteoporosis. A study found that men with low testosterone had an 88% higher risk for hip fracture.
Midlife male depression. A study from Columbia University showed that TRT completely reversed depression in more than 50% of depressed men.
Alzheimer’s disease. Research links higher levels of
testosterone with better blood flow to the brain, better memory and
less risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Death from any cause. In a study of 900 men, those
with low testosterone had a 43% higher risk for all-cause mortality
(dying from any cause). In another, seven-year study, every 173 ng/dL
increase in total testosterone levels was linked to a 21% lower risk for
all-cause mortality.
