Testosterone Can Protect Against Vascular Diseases

Supplementing testosterone significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes in men with unnaturally low levels of the hormone, as per a study presented at the European Association of Urology congress.

The present study was done for ten-year that enrolled over 800 men with testosterone deficiency from Germany and Qatar. All the men included in the study had displayed symptoms of low testosterone, such as low mood, decreased appetite, depression, erectile dysfunction, loss of libido or weight gain.

‘Supplementing testosterone significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes in men with unnaturally low levels of the hormone. This enables further test the mechanism behind the benefits of hormone therapy in men with low testosterone. ’

The participants' family history, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, or weight added a high risk of heart attack or stroke. Half of the men opted for long-term testosterone replacement therapy and the other half were used as control.

The cardiovascular health of the participants was encouraged by asking them to make changes in their lifestyles like diet, alcohol, smoking, and exercise.

Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

It was found that out of the 412 men who had testosterone therapy, 16 had died and none suffered a heart attack or stroke. On the other side, the control with 393 men who did not receive testosterone supplements, 74 had died with almost 70 having a heart attack and 59 suffered a stroke.

The age discrepancy revealed that men under the age of 55 years had a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke by 25% whereas men over the age of 60 years had their risk reduced by 15%.

Apart from the risk of vascular diseases like heart attack and stroke, the participants on testosterone therapy also had improvement in their overall health. They lost weight, with increased lean muscle mass, their cholesterol level, diabetes, blood pressure, and liver function were better controlled.

"Given that all these men would normally have been expected to suffer a heart attack or stroke in the next five to ten years, with no other intervention, it was a real surprise to see no cardiovascular events at all in the group on testosterone therapy. It's clear that this treatment can significantly reduce the risks in this particular group," says Professor Omar Aboumarzouk, from the Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar

However, the study also emphasizes that testosterone therapy is not a silver bullet. This can be harmful if taken by men with normal levels of testosterone and therefore should only be considered for patients who meet certain criteria with low levels of the hormone.

The study sets further trials to establish the mechanism behind the benefits of hormone therapy in men with low testosterone.

Source: Medindia