Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Sep;36(3):192-198.
doi: 10.5534/wjmh.180001. Epub 2018 May 11.

Testosterone and Sarcopenia

Myung Jun Shin  1   2 , Yun Kyung Jeon  3   4 , In Joo Kim  3   2
Affiliations
Review

Testosterone and Sarcopenia

Myung Jun Shin et al. World J Mens Health. 2018 Sep.

Abstract

Aging affects metabolism, leading to physiological and functional impairments, and is also related to changes in body composition, including reduced skeletal muscle mass and increased body fat. These changes are correlated with the pathophysiology of sarcopenia, which is defined as age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. Low testosterone levels are associated with unfavorable body composition changes, and sex hormones decrease with aging. Androgen deficiency, along with lack of exercise and poor nutrition, may be among the modifiable contributors to sarcopenia. Testosterone treatment has been reported to have beneficial effects on muscle mass and function, but the results have been inconsistent. Here, we discuss the correlation between testosterone and muscle mass and function, the impact of testosterone on sarcopenia, and the probable mechanisms underlying these effects.

Keywords: Aging; Body composition; Muscles; Sarcopenia; Testosterone.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) suggested algorithm for sarcopenia case ascertainment in older individuals [13]. Data from Cruz-Jentoft et al (Age Ageing 2010;39:412-23) [13] with original copyright holder's permission.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Song MY, Ruts E, Kim J, Janumala I, Heymsfield S, Gallagher D. Sarcopenia and increased adipose tissue infiltration of muscle in elderly African American women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79:874–880. - PubMed
    1. Harris T. Muscle mass and strength: relation to function in population studies. J Nutr. 1997;127:1004S–1006S. - PubMed
    1. Rosenberg IH. Sarcopenia: origins and clinical relevance. J Nutr. 1997;127:990S–991S. - PubMed
    1. Araujo AB, Travison TG, Bhasin S, Esche GR, Williams RE, Clark RV, et al. Association between testosterone and estradiol and age-related decline in physical function in a diverse sample of men. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2008;56:2000–2008. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hyde Z, Flicker L, Almeida OP, Hankey GJ, McCaul KA, Chubb SA, et al. Low free testosterone predicts frailty in older men: the health in men study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010;95:3165–3172. - PubMed