Testosterone Levels: Is Middle Range Best in Old Age?

[Nelson Vergel]

A new study found that mid range levels (no TRT) of testosterone in over 3000 men provided best benefits in mortality. The good thing is that this study actually included estradiol and DHT measurements. Higher DHT was associated with lower cardiovascular related mortality. Estradiol was not associated to mortality.

One drawback of the study is that it did not have many men with total testosterone over 600 ng/dl, so it is difficult to assess what happens to those with higher levels.

The percentage of men with circulating total testosterone levels in the two middle quartiles (between 9.82 and 15.8 nmol/L [282 to 455 ng/dL]) who died was 23.3% to 25.1%, compared with 30.8% among men with lower T levels and 26.5% among men with higher levels.

After allowance for other risk factors, T and DHT were associated with all-cause mortality.

Higher DHT was associated with lower ischemic heart disease mortality (Q3:Q1, HR=0.58,P=0.002; Q4:Q1, HR=0.69, P=0.026).

Estradiol was not associated with either all-cause or ischemic heart disease mortality.

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/early/2013/11/20/jc.2013-3272.abstract?rss=1