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Testosterone Deficiency & Cholesterol

Jul 31, 2011 | By Beth Greenwood
Testosterone Deficiency & Cholesterol
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Testosterone is one of the male sexual hormones and perhaps the best-known. One of a group of hormones called androgens, testosterone is the hormone that determines whether a child will be male or female, and has many other functions in the human body. Cholesterol is one of the components from which testosterone is made.

Testosterone

Testosterone affects many functions in both men and women. It helps to influence sexual preferences, regulates the sex drive, governs sperm production and quality, and is important to adequate sexual performance during intercourse. More than 95 percent of male testosterone is produced in the testes. Low testosterone can be caused by damage to the testicles, a case of mumps after puberty has occurred, radiation treatment, tumors, genetic conditions, surgical complications and a diet high in meat or poultry if hormones are used in the meat production. Alcohol also has a negative effect on testosterone production.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a hard waxy substance that is either manufactured by the body or eaten in some foods. Cholesterol is actually essential to the proper function and structure of cell membranes; it is so important that each cell can make its own cholesterol. According to Dr. Jeremy E. Kaslow, author of "Cardiovascular Efficiency vs Nutritional Deficiency," neither high nor low cholesterol is desirable. Low cholesterol has been associated with cancer of the lung, breast, colon and prostate. High cholesterol, however, has been associated with heart disease in some populations.

Connections Between Testosterone and Cholesterol

Testosterone and cholesterol are linked in several ways. First, testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol and other substances. Second, testosterone can actually be used to lower cholesterol. Kaslow notes that in Denmark, testosterone is used as a cholesterol-lowering agent, with a reduction in serum cholesterol of about 25 percent in males after administration of testosterone. But research also shows that low testosterone levels can increase cholesterol.

Research

When rats were castrated in a study published in the 1993 journal "Life Sciences," cholesterol levels increased. A study reported in the May 1994 "Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis: A Journal of Vascular Biology" noted that men with lower levels of testosterone had more evidence of coronary artery blockage -- cholesterol is a factor in arterial plaque. In a study in the 2007 "Endocrine Abstracts," low testosterone in male diabetics was associated with low levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol.

Considerations

The association between testosterone and cholesterol is complex, and research results are mixed. If you have questions about either subject, consult a health care professional.

References

Article reviewed by Tad Cronn Last updated on: Jul 31, 2011

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