Group items tagged

new study finds that men >65 with low libido and Testosterone levels < 275 increase sexual function with Testosterone therapy.  Only libido was improved; no benefit to erectile function was noted--note that is likely due to depleted NO.  Given time that should improve with he increase in NO synthase and thus NO.  I have a fault with on elf the comments on this study: they point out that increased free Testosterone and estradiol levels were associated with improved sexual activity.  This lacks an understanding of the physiology.  In men with low T > 65, the majority are dealing with inflammation and excess weight; all of which increase aromatase activity and thus estradiol activity.  This does not indicate that an increase in estradiol activity is associated with improved libido in men.  How can elevated estrogen levels lead to low T and then increase levels are associated with improved libido?  This is merely a reflection of the body's dysfunctional physiology.  This observation of increased estradiol by no means shows cause and effect.  Scientists need to due a better job in vetting what they write!

Testosterone and libido in women: the data is limited.  The data that links low T in women to low libido is not present.  That questions the whole low T, libido theory in women.

Again, Testosterone and here Estradiol are merely there for libido and sex.  What tunnel vision?!  What about hsCRP?  What about fibrinogen?  What about IL-1beta?  What about TNF-alpha?  These inflammatory cytokines have all been reported to elevate as a result of estrogen production in men.   And PSA?  No mention of it here.   This linear, tunnel vision thinking on hormones has got to stop! The study points out that all clients were using AIs and SERMs irregardless of whether they had elevated estrogens or not.  That is not a well designed study.  One group should have had AI's if elevated estrogens were present and another group should not--this would compare the effects of aromatase activity.  Second, this was simply a retrospective chart review.  Third, a 50% conversion of 34,000 + men is very high when you look at the literature.  Fourth, they point to gynecomastia as a means of negative?  The cardiovascular implications are more significant.  These studies just seem to focus on superficial things.  Fifth, did libido problems exist before?  What were the free levels?   This falls in the paucity of data (2 studies) that point to excessive lowering of estradiol effecting libido and sexual performance.

This is a reference to a blog, but a well referenced blog on low libido and meds, particularly antidepressants and psychotropics.

low physical activity, high BMI and low libido are independent predictors of low Testosterone.

Low Testosterone, low libido, and ED associated with prior hepatitis B and hepatitis C.  

This study confirms what we know about Testosterone, but this study finds that Estradiol aids libido and fat loss.  The conclusion on Estradiol I believe to be extremely premature.  First, it flies in the face of all the accumulative data on estradiol, second, what normal physiology is being replicated with goserelin???  Goserelin has been shown to decrease Prolactin which can effect libido also.  What about the potential there?  The men included in the study were described as "healthy".  So, you are taking "healthy" normal funcitoning men, throwing in a monkey wrench and looking at the effects of your monkey wrench.  Sorry, not physiologic.  In all my practice, I have seen one man with low Estradiol levels.  There is no reference to the hormone levels in the men preceding the suppression with goserelin.  This is a study that lacks application.

Low Hormones, post-ovary removal, linked to low libido

Testosterone treatment shown to decrease mortality in group of men compared to a no testosterone treatment group.  This study used serum testosterone as it's evaluative method.  They used the cut of of < 250 ng/dl which is very, very low!  This is another study that shows that testosterone for men that need it is much more than just ED and low libido.

Increased aromatase activity and resultant estrogen production negatively effects libido in HIV men.  I don't believe that this effect is just found in those with HIV, but can be extrapolated to all.

A systemic review of Testosterone benefit in men stirs the pot.  I can't say that I agree with the majority of their conclusions.  What I do agree with them on is that the majority of men on Testosterone therapy likely don't need it and are simply using Testosterone as a drug.

Study finds that low free T and low Total T were associated with decline in desire, ED and activity versus none with Estradiol and SHBG in older men.  The difficult issue is the threshold of "low T".  The definition of "low T" is not uniform and varies with age.  Thus baseline evaluations and correlation with symptoms, metabolic dysfunction must be done.

This is just an abstract due to the publication date.  However, this study, though small, found that elevated estradiol and estrone levels preceded myocardial infarctions in small study group (15).  The surprise was that physical symptoms of slow beard growth, loss of libido, and gynecomastia preceded the events.  Also, the testosterone levels were normal.  Got that: elevated estrogen levels with normal testosterone levels result in significant symptoms.

review of the literature finds that Testosterone therapy in women with low libido improves sexual activity without CVD and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.  Post menopause is a time associated with an increased risk of CVD in women.

Lexapro can increase Prolactin levels which can cause libido dysfunction and galactorrhea as in this case.

Here is where science and particularly conclusions fail the public.  The authors conclusions are that tadalifl improves ED and sexual function irrespective of Testosterone levels.  However, the results say something different.  The group with normal Testosterone responded better versus the low Testosterone group.  This difference didn't reach statistical significance though.  This lack of statistical significance does not exclude the fact that there indeed was a difference.  The authors conlcusions take no part in reporting the whole truth, just that which supports their hypothesis. The diagnosis of low T in this study was < 300 ng/dl

Review of the data points to poor quality of evidence dealing with DHEA in post-menopausal women with normal adrenal function.  Yet if DHEA is low, which is >95% produced by adrenals in women, then how can the adrenal function be "normal".   The meta-analysis found no improvement in libido and/or sexual function, and no improvement in lipids, glucose, weight... was noted.  Essentially not positive or negative effects were noted.  Abstract only available here, so dosage is a question.

The authors conclusion here is all wrong.  The men with low T had improvement in energy and LDL, but no improvement in mood and sexual function.

Tongkat Ali, commonly known as long jack, is found to reduce stress and increase Testosterone.  Stress is one of the common causes of low T in men.  It appears that long Jack functions as an adaptogen.

good review of androgens and AR.