Men who have more testosterone lose less muscle with age

A study shows that higher testosterone levels may help older men preserve muscle mass and delay the onset of weakness when they get older. 

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that higher levels of testosterone were associated with reduced loss of lean muscle tissue in older men, especially those who had lost weight. In these men, higher testosterone levels were also associated with a smaller loss of leg strength. 

The loss of muscle mass and strength contributes to frailty and are associated with falls, mobility limitations and fractures. Men lose more muscle mass and strength than women as they age, suggesting that sex steroids, and testosterone in particular, may contribute to changes in body composition and physical functioning. 

This study sought to better understand the relationship between testosterone levels and healthy aging in older men, and found that higher testosterone levels may help older men preserve muscle mass and delay muscle weakness when they get older. 

"Our study found that men aged 65 and over who have higher testosterone levels lost less muscle mass, especially in the arms and legs, than men of the same age who have more testosterone levels weak "says Erin LeBlanc, lead author of the study. "Men who had higher testosterone levels before losing weight also lost less mobility of their legs, and could more easily get up from a chair than those who had lower testosterone levels before losing weight. "

In this study, the researchers used data from 1,183 men aged 65 or more, and tested the hypothesis that baseline measures of sex steroids are associated with less decline in lean body mass, and the maintenance of physical performance over an average follow-up of 4.5 years. 

Body composition was measured using the scanner with dual-energy X (DEXA) light absorption, and physical performance was measured through a series of exercises that assessed grip strength, power lower limbs, speed of travel and the ability to rise from a chair without using the arms. 

"The amount of testosterone that men have in their bodies may help to explain the amount of muscle and strength they lose as they get older," said LeBlanc. "Our study adds evidence to the existing literature suggesting that endogenous levels of testosterone may be favorably associated with some key components of healthy aging in men."