Testosterone vs Mortality Part 3

The jury is still out.  In this case, we still don't know the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, about testosterone.  Just yesterday, a meta-analysis of 11 studies demonstrated a link between low testosterone and increase risk for all-cause mortality.  Furthermore, this same meta-analysis found a link between low testosterone and increase risk for cardiovascular mortality.

Well, in a population-based cohort study published earlier this month ahead of its January 2012 print date, the authors confirmed an association between low testosterone and increase risk for cardiovascular mortality.  However, they were unable to confirm any association w/all-cause mortality.

The devil is in the details so let's look more closely at this group of 3,637 Australian men average 77yo who were followed for over 5yrs.  Low free testosterone and high lutenizing hormone (LH - suggesting testicular failure) were individually associated with an increase risk for cardiovascular mortality.  Together they increased risk even more.

Interestingly, if you look at Table 2, you'll notice that low free testosterone is also associated with an increase risk of all-cause mortality, even after taking into account all the usual variables.  As I've noted before, I'm a lumper, not a splitter.  In this case, I think the take home message is that low testosterone is a bad thing for men.

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