The hormones in our body play a significant role in heart health. Boston University researchers say, "the evolving role of androgens in metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease is of paramount importance."Testosterone, the most famous androgen, has a protective effect on the heart (at least in men). Atherosclerosis tends to increase as testosterone levels drop. Low testosterone was once considered to be relatively rare phenomenon since men don't have the dramatic fall in sex hormones that women experience during menopause. But we now understand that low testosterone levels are "frequently unrecognized but also common." Int J Clin Pract 2007 Feb;61(2):341-4.
This doesn't meant that older men should run out and begin testosterone replacement therapy. In fact, the use of testosterone therapy is still a matter of large debate because of mixed findings in clinical studies. A better method may be to identify the reason for the drop in testosterone. These previous entries in this blog identify some reasons for loss of testosterone.
A large part of the problem is insulin resistance and poor blood sugar regulation. Insulin resistance will drive down testosterone levels in men. The result? A relatively unprotected heart.
If you have heart disease, has your doctor talked to you about your testosterone levels?
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