High Testosterone = Fewer Cardiovascular Events

Older men with the highest levels of testosterone have a 30 percent lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to men with lesser levels. That’s what Swedish researchers reported in a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The Swedes analyzed testosterone levels in nearly 2,500 men, aged 69 to 81, over a five-year period and found that individuals with the highest quartile of testosterone level were far less vulnerable than men at all three lower quartile levels. According to the University of Gothenburg researchers, the findings are important because previous reports have been inconsistent about whether there is an association between serum testosterone and cardiovascular events.

The researchers were quick to say that their findings do not mean that older men should rush out and get testosterone treatment or supplements to prevent heart attacks. More research is necessary, they said, pointing to a small testosterone study last year that was stopped early because of an increase in cardiovascular events among older men with multiple health issues and limited mobility.

Because the heart and blood vessels house many testosterone receptor sites, it seems the male hormone was obviously meant to serve these body parts. To be sure, testosterone, like other hormones, decreases with age, and a very low level can make you more susceptible to metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance), oxidative stress, and clotting.

Testosterone therapy has also been found to improve heart failure, angina, and diabetes, but supplementing can be tricky. If you are interested in pursuing it, I highly recommend you do so with an experienced anti-aging doctor. You can likely find one near you through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine website (worldhealth.net).

In my own practice, I liked to raise feeble testosterone levels through a rigorous exercise program. Of course, you should get a stress test first, to determine if your heart can handle the workload.

Now it’s your turn: Have you had your testosterone level tested?

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