Statin therapy prescribed to lower cholesterol also appears to lower testosterone, according to a new study that evaluated 3,484 men, average age 51, who had erectile dysfunction or ED.Giovanni Corona and colleagues emphasized they have found a link, not a cause and effect, between statins and lower testosterone. They can't explain the link with certainty.
Of that total, 244, or 7%, were being treated with statins for their high cholesterol. Most often the statin was simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lipitor).
The researchers calculated the men's total testosterone as well as free testosterone, the amount of unbound testosterone in the bloodstream.
When they compared men on statins to those not, the men on statins were twice as likely to have low testosterone, regardless of which of three commonly used thresholds for low testosterone they looked at.
One possibility, Corona says, is that low testosterone levels and the need for statin treatment share some common causes.
One U.S. study, reported in 2007 by the New England Research Institutes, did find lower levels of testosterone in a general population of men taking statins. But detailed analysis of the data found that the reduced levels could be explained by other factors, such as obesity and diabetes, rather than statin use.
Some researchers also have looked at the possibility that the statins' inhibition of cholesterol synthesis may interfere with the production of testosterone, which depends on a supply of cholesterol. The statins may disrupt "the body's feedback to the testicles telling them to produce testosterone."
The take home message for those of us on statins:
Pay attention to early warning signs of testosterone deficiency. That includes falling asleep after meals when they did not in the past, noticing poorer athletic performance, having a change from an upbeat mood to a grumpy mood, and experiencing a reduced sex drive.
If you suspect testosterone deficiency, ask your doctor about checking your testosterone levels. Do not stop your statins!
And do not stop exercise and eating wisely.
Journal Reference
Giovanni Corona, Valentina Boddi, Giancarlo Balercia, Giulia Rastrelli, Giulia De Vita, Alessandra Sforza, Gianni Forti, Edoardo Mannucci, Mario Maggi. The Effect of Statin Therapy on Testosterone Levels in Subjects Consulting for Erectile Dysfunction. J Sex Med. 2010 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]
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