Higher T = Less Loss of Lean Body Mass in Older Men

Double negative.  I was taught in my English classes to avoid using double negatives.  In other words, I was supposed to write in the affirmative, in a more direct fashion.  So I find it ironic to read a double negative in the title of published study (although the use of multiple negatives is apparently common place around the world).  Of course, in mathematics, we didn't worry about such issues.

In a prospective cohort study published in this month's JCEM, 1,183 ambulatory American males average 72+yo were followed for 4+yrs. Unfortunately, the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) participants were not as diverse as one would have liked with Caucasians accounting for almost 75% of the group.

Nevertheless, everyone lost muscle. The question then was how much. It turned out that the higher one's endogenous testosterone level, the less muscle mass one lost over time (apparently their skeletal muscle didn't believe in avoiding double negatives). To be clear, there was no association w/physical function, although it would correlate with the observation that higher testosterone is associated with less frailty and lower risk of falls.

But what's most impressive is the conclusion arrived at by the authors: "Endogenous testosterone may contribute to healthy aging."  Of course, the next step is to determine whether exogenous or supplemental testosterone will achieve the same effect . . . In the meantime, don't forget all the other modifiable tenets that affect our health. 

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