Low Testosterone Linked to Depression | Low Testosterone
Low testosterone (referred to hypogonadism) is common in older men. A study published in the The Archives of General Psychiatry links depression to low levels of testosterone. The severity of the situation could be greatly understated because of testing methods and the assumption of just what is the "normal" level of testosterone.
Low testosterone, according to the researchers, occurs in 30 percent of men older than 55. Testosterone levels peak in early adulthood, and then decrease by approximately 1 to 1.5 percent per year after age 40.
Scientists at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System studied the records of 278 men (45 years or older) without depression to examine the relationship between testosterone level and the incidence of diagnosed depression over a two-year period. Symptoms of low testosterone include the following:
- decreased muscle mass and strength,
- decreased bone mineral density,
- diminished appetite,
- decreased libido,
- fatigue and irritability.
Some symptoms overlap with those of depression, but the association between low testosterone and depression is unclear to the research team. Levels of testosterone were checked using blood tests. Today, many clinicians say that this method does not get a true picture of testosterone levels. Instead of blood tests, they suggest saliva testing for all hormones, a method made famous by the late Dr. John Less, MD, who wrote the book, "What You Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause".
Depression 400% Higher When Testosterone Low
The research team went on to say that 21.7 percent of the low testosterone men were diagnosed with depression. This is in stark contrast to just 7.1 percent of men with normal testosterone levels.
After the data was adjusted for age, alcohol consumption, prostate cancer, and other medical conditions, they found that men with low testosterone were more than 400 percent more likely to be diagnosed with depression.
Hope for Depression Related to Low T
Back in the 1940s, major depression was be relieved by injecting testosterone into men with low levels of that hormone. The treatment never caught on because the shots are painful, and effective antidepressant drugs, which drug companies make a lot of money on, started coming to market. More recently, however, testosterone patches and gels became available. In June 2000, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved a new form of gel for treating muscle loss, decreased sex drive, lack of energy, and other symptoms of low testosterone.