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New study links low testosterone in men to higher heart attack risk

Category: Hormones and Metabolism

Higher levels of testosterone may be associated with a lower risk of suffering a heart attack, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Testosterone testing may alert men to potentially dangerous deficiencies of the hormone, allowing them take steps to correct the problem.

For the study, a team of researchers from the University Hospital Goteborg in Sweden analyzed the testosterone levels of 2,400 men in their 60s and 70 and tracked their medical records for several years. Men in the lowest quartile of testosterone levels were found to be nearly 50 percent more likely to suffer a stroke than those in the top quartile.

Still, the results do not conclusively prove that low testosterone levels cause cardiovascular complications. Experts told Reuters that low testosterone may be a symptom of other health conditions, such as obesity, that are known to increase a person's risk of experiencing a heart attack.

Either way, testosterone testing may provide men with an accurate picture of their overall cardiovascular risk and could play an important role in their regular medical care.