The steroid hormone testosterone plays an important role in human biology and psychology. Levels of this hormone often decrease with age, causing a medical condition known as testosterone deficiency. This disorder is more common in men, but it can affect women as well. Treatments include hormone supplementation using drugs known to affect the testosterone system. These medications have many benefits, but patients must carefully use them as they may cause side effects.
Sexual Performance
Older men with low levels of testosterone often complain about their sexual performance. Testosterone, taken intravenously, can help alleviate these complaints. An investigation published in the Aug. 30, 2010 edition of "Journal of Sexual Medicine" looked at the sexual health of hypogonadic men. These men had unusually low levels of testosterone relative to controls. A year's use of testosterone augmented natural testosterone levels. It also increased both behavioral and physiological measures of sexual performance. After receiving testosterone, the men had greater sexual desire and satisfaction as well as enhanced erections and orgasms. Patients tolerated the testosterone treatment well, and they showed no signs of drug-induced disease.
Blood Sugar Level
Older women also experience testosterone deficiencies. These changes can have adverse effects on body composition and bone health. Females using testosterone, however, may experience diabetic symptoms and heart pathologies. Yet researcg in the July 2007 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism" showed that hormone replacement therapy can decrease blood sugar levels. This study tested older women with low levels of testosterone. Female subjects wore either a testosterone patch or an inert patch for one year. Women in the testosterone group had lower levels of insulin following treatment. This data suggest that hormone replacement improved glucose metabolism. The women did not experience significant side effects resulting from testosterone intake, and their cardiovascular health remained stable throughout the testing period.
Body Composition
Both men and women experience an age-related decline in body composition. Muscle mass typically decreases and body fat often increases with age. Low levels of testosterone may underlie these changes, according to an experiment described in the Aug. 18, 2010 edition of the medical journal "Maturitas." This study revealed a positive correlation between testosterone and frailty: Men and women with the lowest testosterone levels had the highest frailty scores. Many older people, therefore, may be at risk for bone breaks and disease.
Testosterone supplementation can prevent these changes in body composition. A June 2010 paper in the "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society" tested older men with testosterone deficiency syndrome. These men received transdermal patches containing either testosterone or placebo for a year. Relative to the inert treatment, testosterone intake increased lean body mass and bone mineral density without causing negative reactions.
References
- "Journal of Sexual Health"; Treatment of 161 Men with Symptomatic Late Onset Hypogonadism with Long-Acting Parenteral Testosterone Undecanoate: Effects on Body Composition, Lipids, and Psychosexual Complaints; S. Permpongkosol et al.; Aug. 30, 2010
- "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism": Effects of Testosterone Therapy on Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Androgen-Deficient Women with Hypopituitarism
- "Maturitas"; Low Serum Testosterone and Frailty in Older Men and Women; I. C. Wu et al.; Aug. 18, 2010
- "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society"; Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Bone and Muscle in Older Men with Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels, Low Bone Mass, and Physical Frailty; A. M. Kenny et al.; June 2010
