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Higher serum free testosterone concentration in older women is associated with greater bone mineral density, lean body mass, and total fat mass: the cardiovascular health study.
Tuesday,2012-11-06 12:25 America/Los_Angeles — eenright
| Title | Higher serum free testosterone concentration in older women is associated with greater bone mineral density, lean body mass, and total fat mass: the cardiovascular health study. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2011 |
| Authors | Rariy, CM, Ratcliffe, SJ, Weinstein, R, Bhasin, S, Blackman, MR, Cauley, JA, Robbins, J, Zmuda, JM, Harris, TB, Cappola, AR |
| Journal | J Clin Endocrinol Metab |
| Volume | 96 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pagination | 989-96 |
| Date Published | 2011 Apr |
| ISSN | 1945-7197 |
| Keywords | Adipose Tissue, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Mass Index, Bone Density, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Cohort Studies, Female, Health, Humans, Organ Size, Osmolar Concentration, Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal, Testosterone, Thinness, Up-Regulation |
| Abstract | <p><b>CONTEXT: </b>The physiological importance of endogenous testosterone (T) in older women is poorly understood.</p><p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>The aim of the study was to determine the association of higher total and free T levels with bone mineral density (BMD), lean body mass, and fat mass in elderly women.</p><p><b>DESIGN: </b>Total and free T were measured using sensitive assays in 232 community-dwelling women aged 67-94 yr who were enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study and had dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans. Cross-sectional analyses were performed to examine associations between total and free T and BMD and body composition.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>In adjusted models, total T was directly associated with BMD at the lumbar spine (P = 0.04) and hip (P = 0.001), but not body composition outcomes, in all women, and after excluding estrogen users and adjusting for estradiol (P = 0.04 and 0.01, respectively). Free T was positively related to hip BMD, lean body mass, and body fat (all P < 0.05), with more than 10% differences in each outcome between women at the highest and lowest ends of the free T range, with attenuation after excluding estrogen users and adjusting for estradiol.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>In the setting of the low estradiol levels found in older women, circulating T levels were associated with bone density. Women with higher free T levels had greater lean body mass, consistent with the anabolic effect of T, and, in contrast to men, greater fat mass. Mechanistic studies are required to determine whether a causal relationship exists between T, bone, and body composition in this population and the degree to which any T effects are estrogen-independent.</p> |
| DOI | 10.1210/jc.2010-0926 |
| Alternate Journal | J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. |
| PubMed ID | 21289255 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC3070250 |
| Grant List | K23 AG019161 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States U01 HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01 HC015103 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States K23 AG19161 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States N01HC55222 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01-HC-85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01HC85086 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States / / Intramural NIH HHS / United States N01 HC-55222 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States T32 HL007609 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01-HC-75150 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01HC75150 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States U01HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01HC85079 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01 HC045133 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States N01 HC035129 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States |