A small percentage of men with low T may have anti-pituitary antibodies

Nelson Vergel

Founder, ExcelMale.com
Ricciuti A, Travison TG, Di Dalmazi G, et al.

A Subset of Men with Age-Related Decline in Testosterone have Gonadotroph Autoantibodies. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.


http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jc.2016-1016

Context: Age-related decline in serum testosterone is being increasingly diagnosed. In most men, it associates with low or inappropriately normal gonadotropin levels, which suggests a hypothalamic-pituitary etiology. Autoantibodies against adenohypophyseal cells have been associated with pituitary dysfunction, however; the prevalence of pituitary autoimmunity in this age-related testosterone decline has not been assessed.

Objectives: Proof-of-Concept study to determine the prevalence of antibodies to gonadotrophs in older men with age-related low testosterone and compare it with healthy young and older eugonadal men.

Study Design: Cross-sectional case-control study of 182 men. Cases included 100 older men (≥65 yrs) with age-related low testosterone levels; Control groups comprised 50 young and 32 older healthy eugonadal men.

Serum antibodies against the anterior pituitary gland were measured using a 2-step approach:
1) single indirect immunofluorescence (i.e. participant serum only) to determine the pattern of cytosolic staining; and
2) double indirect immunofluorescence (i.e. participant serum plus a commercial adenohypophyseal hormone antibody) to identify the anterior pituitary cell type recognized by the patient's antibodies).

Results: In participants with positive anti-pituitary antibodies, the granular cytosolic pattern (highly predictive of pituitary autoimmunity) was only seen in older men with age-related low testosterone (4%) and none in control groups (0%, p=0.001). Double indirect immunofluorescence confirmed that pituitary antibodies were exclusively directed against the gonadotrophs.

Conclusion: A subset of older men with age-related low testosterone levels have specific antibodies against the gonadotrophs. Whether these antibodies are pathogenic and contributory to the age-related decline in testosterone remains to be established.
 

hCG Mixing Calculator

HCG Mixing Protocol Calculator

TRT Hormone Predictor Widget

TRT Hormone Predictor

Predict estradiol, DHT, and free testosterone levels based on total testosterone

⚠️ Medical Disclaimer

This tool provides predictions based on statistical models and should NOT replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your TRT protocol.

ℹ️ Input Parameters

Normal range: 300-1000 ng/dL

Predicted Hormone Levels

Enter your total testosterone value to see predictions

Results will appear here after calculation

Understanding Your Hormones

Estradiol (E2)

A form of estrogen produced from testosterone. Important for bone health, mood, and libido. Too high can cause side effects; too low can affect well-being.

DHT

Dihydrotestosterone is a potent androgen derived from testosterone. Affects hair growth, prostate health, and masculinization effects.

Free Testosterone

The biologically active form of testosterone not bound to proteins. Directly available for cellular uptake and biological effects.

Scientific Reference

Lakshman KM, Kaplan B, Travison TG, Basaria S, Knapp PE, Singh AB, LaValley MP, Mazer NA, Bhasin S. The effects of injected testosterone dose and age on the conversion of testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone in young and older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Aug;95(8):3955-64.

DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0102 | PMID: 20534765 | PMCID: PMC2913038

Beyond Testosterone Podcast

Online statistics

Members online
6
Guests online
480
Total visitors
486

Latest posts

Back
Top