Researchers Find Possible Link Between Low Testosterone and Stroke
A recent analysis of several medical studies has concluded that there may be a link between low testosterone and ischemic stroke in men.
The study, which was conducted by several researchers in Denmark, analyzed thousands of medical records from male patients who enrolled in the Copenhagen City Heart Study from 1981 to 1983 and who were monitored for as long as 29 years afterward. The team also conducted a meta-analysis of four prospective studies to verify their findings.
Their findings were consistent. Presenting to attendees of the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association’s annual meeting in Chicago, the team proposed that men who had low levels of testosterone were at more risk of ischemic stroke than men with normal testosterone levels. The findings were based on the medical records of close to 11,000 patients over a 30-year period.
The researchers, however, were careful to admit that the variables of some of these studies ranged widely. Though many of the medical records came from patients who were 65 or older, at least one study included data from men as young as 21. Variables such as age, weight, height, and pre-existing conditions may not have been totally accounted for.
Still, the researchers expressed confidence that the link between ischemic stroke and low testosterone in men is accurate, and that more research on the link should be conducted.
Among other findings, the team pointed out that men with the lowest testosterone levels (i.e. the bottom 10th percentile when initially measured) were 33% more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke than the other men in the study. However, the team could find no link between low testosterone and ischemic stroke in women, nor could they demonstrate a link between ischemic stroke and low levels of other hormones found in both sexes.
Low testosterone is a potentially debilitating condition in men. Effects can include exhaustion, reduced muscle mass, depression, sluggishness, weight gain, and reduced libido drive.
“Every day we hear of research studies that show the safety of testosterone treatment for men suffering with decreased testosterone, or Low T,” says Kevin J Meuret, Founder, Low T Institute. “Guidelines for safe treatment have now been published by the Endocrine Society that provide a road map for both patients and doctors for the treatment of low testosterone. More and more we will hear about not only the safety of treatment, but the increased benefits on the quality of life for the patients. These guidelines not only give the patients confidence in treatment, it also allows for treatment to be covered by medical insurance.”
