Re: Fwd: BBC Story: Testosterone Link to Depression

[Guest guest]

The 2002 AACE guidelines have been widely distributed at this forum but thanks

again for the link. You don't have to be in your 70's to have depression from

low T. We have some here in their 20's, 30's and 40's that have suffered

depression from low T.

Women have gained more progress in the attention they have drawn to their

causes such as menopause and breast cancer. Men are lacking in that regard and

so is the medical community in addressing things such as andropause and prostate

cancer.

Hopefully places such as this forum will help push start matters to improve

the level of quality afforded to men in the future.

skerlin2000 <skerlin2000@...> wrote:

Forwarded from the DES Sons International Research Network at

des-sons

Given that there is existing recognition of a link

between prenatal DES exposure in males and

testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism), this new story

from BBC News is very important. Depression is common

within the DES-exposed populations, but

anti-depressants may not be the solution.

[As backgrounder for further understanding of the

condition " hypogonadism " and the DES link, I recommend

reviewing the report from the American Association of

Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

http://www.aace.com/pub/pdf/guidelines/hypogonadism.pdf

I recommond that you bring this document to your

doctor's attention.]

Below is a BBC news story released today on the link

between testosterone deficiency and depression:

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7274481.stm

'Testosterone link' to depression

Hormones may alter brain chemistry

Older men with lower levels of the male sex hormone

testosterone in their blood may be more prone to

depression, a study suggests.

A study of about 4,000 men aged over 70 found those

with lowest testosterone were three times more likely

to be depressed than those with the most.

Researchers suspect the hormone may affect levels of

key brain chemicals.

The study, by the University of Western Australia,

features in Archives of General Psychiatry.

" It would be no surprise that low testosterone reduces

mood. "

---Professor Kendall

University of Nottingham

Research has found that women are more likely to be

depressed than men until the age of 65, when the

difference between the genders almost disappears.

Testosterone levels decline with age - but there is

wide variation.

The Australian team studied 3,987 men over the age of

70. Each gave blood samples and took part in tests to

determine whether they were depressed.

In total 203 of the participants were assessed as

being depressed.

They had significantly lower levels of both total

testosterone, and free testosterone, which is not

bound to proteins.

The researchers then adjusted the data to take account

of factors such as educational attainment and body fat

levels.

They found those men whose level of free testosterone

was in the bottom 20% were three times more likely to

be depressed than those in the top 20%.

The researchers said further work was required to

confirm their findings.

But their work raised the possibility that treatment

to boost testosterone levels in older men may be an

effective way to treat depression.

Raised death risk

A previous study of 800 men over the age of 50 found

that those with low levels of testosterone had a 33%

increased risk of death over an 18-year period than

those with higher levels.

They appeared significantly more likely to have a

cluster of risk factors associated with cardiovascular

disease and diabetes.

This raises the possibility that men with low

testosterone levels may be prone to depression because

they are also more likely to be in poor physical

health.

However, the Australian researchers concluded that

this could not fully explain the link, and that some

other factor must also be in play.

Testosterone replacement therapy has also been shown

to help elderly men with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Research has suggested that levels of testosterone in

men of all ages are falling.

Professor Kendall, an expert in pharmacology at

the University of Nottingham, said there was a wealth

of evidence to show that testosterone levels were

linked to mood.

For instance, farmers had long castrated their stock

to pacify them.

Research on animals had also shown that removal of

their gonads blocked the action of anti-depressants on

key mood-controlling chemicals in the brain.

" It would be no surprise that low testosterone reduces

mood, " he said.

" Testosterone therapy offers a relatively simple

intervention, potentially, for some groups of older

depressives with hypogonadism (low production of sex

hormones). "

Professor Stafford Lightman, a hormone expert at the

University of Bristol, said testosterone potentially

had many small effects which could raise the risk of

depression. For instance, low levels had been linked

to poor cognitive performance.

However, he warned that depression, particularly in

elderly people, was often the result of many

different, inter-relating factors, and warned against

placing too much emphasis on one in isolation.

" My view is that low testosterone could be a

contributory factor to depression, but probably not a

very powerful one, " he said.

--- End forwarded message ---

---------------------------------

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search.