Low Testosterone Could Peril Heart

Post-menopausal women with low levels of the male sex hormone testosterone are more likely to develop heart disease, a new study suggests.

Researchers at the Free University of Brussels (Belgium) examined the levels of sex hormones in natural post-menopausal women--women not taking hormone replacement therapy--and their association with the presence of atherosclerosis. The research team examined 56 post-menopausal women who had atherosclerosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and who were referred for carotid artery endarterectomy (CEA) and compared the levels of sex hormones in their blood with 56 age-matched controls.

While the researchers found no significant difference between the levels of other sex hormones, women with atherosclerosis had significantly lower testosterone levels than women who were free from the disease. Even after the researchers controlled for other risk factors associated with heart disease (such as diet, high blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes), the relationship between low testosterone levels and atherosclerosis remained strong. The researchers concluded that, that higher, but physiologic, levels of androgens in postmenopausal women have a protective role in the development of atherosclerosis of the ICA. The study was published in the June 2007 issue of the European Journal of Endocrinology.

"Our work suggests that higher levels of testosterone may have a protective role against atherosclerosis in women who have undergone the menopause,” said lead author Dr. Erik Debing, from the department of vascular surgery. "This research represents an important step forward in our understanding of the causes of atherosclerosis and will allow us to develop more effective treatments and advice.”

Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries become hardened and blocked by the deposition of substances such as cholesterol, and is commonly seen as a precursor to heart disease.


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