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hormones are best evaluated in toto.  For men, the story doesn't begin/end with total Testosterone.  New study finds that low free Testosterone (calculated) is associated with symptoms of low Testosterone despite normal total testosterone levels.

New study finds Testosterone therapy provides less than statistical significant improvement in constitutional/sexual symptoms, in obese men with type II diabetes with symptoms classified as mild-moderate with modest reductions in Total Testosterone.  This study highlights that low Testosterone is a biomarker of poor health and multiple comorbidities and that simply adding in Testosterone therapy will not cure all male woes.  The authors did state that ED and low T are separate issues and I will differ with them on this--they are in fact link.  This association may vary between individuals, but to flatly state they are completely separate issues is devoid of the fact that testosterone has been shown to reduce inflammatory cytokines and improve PDE5 therapy.  

great review of hormone changes associated with aging in men.

this study looked at salivary testosterone to serum testosterone and found poor correlation.  One major problem with this study is the significantly smaller amount (10 fold) of testosterone in women than men in healthy individuals.  This study took place in postmenopausal women, which would have significantly lower levels than healthy women.  They also don't discuss the pitfalls of equilibrium dialysis of serum free testosterone.  Another major flaw is the mere logic of looking at serum for tissue activity.   What is the correlation between serum levels and tissue activity.  There is tremendous assumptions being undertaken that serum levels of testosterone whether total or free translate to genomic or non-genomic signaling.  I also wonder if newer techniques using Mass Spec can better detect the typically pico levels of testosterone in women's saliva?  This study does nothing to dissuade the use of salivary testing.

men with Testosterone <300 ng/dl with levels after 8 months of therapy achieving +680 ng/dl.

nice and short review on testosterone and men's  health.

Article highlights the problems with the definition of low T.  This article finds consistent decline in Total Testosterone and FAI with increasing age groups, with a significant portion of men > 60 meeting the required levels for "low T".  This study found a decrease in total T and FAI at a consistent rate independent of variables, such as BMI.    This study did find a decrease in SHBG and total T with obesity; in contrast to other studies.

low free Testosterone, though calculated in this study, found to be associated with low T symptoms despite normal total Testosterone.  Though the "normal" total Testosterone in this study is abnormal low in other studies.  Only abstract available.

Men with type II diabetes have lower Testosterone levels when compared to none diabetics.  This study found an increased mortality with low T in those with type II Diabetes.  The main association was found with bioavailable Testosterone.  Total Testosterone is proving useless as a functional tool.  Additionally, Testosterone therapy reduced mortality in those with Diabetes.

Incidence of Low Testosterone very high in men with Diabetes in Iran.  This was the case whether Total Testosterone, calculated free Testosterone, calculated Biologic Testosterone, or SHBG was used.

low Testosterone is associated with increased mortality in men and Testosterone therapy in men with low T is associated with a reduction in mortality in men.

Full article of previously posted abstract.  Cancers are unique.  Not all cancers are alike.  Whether they are tissue specific or not, cancers are unique.  This article describes the uniqueness of DHEA and Testosterone cancer, with particular attention to colon.

Testosterone levels appear to be more of a biomarker of poor health in older men that are obese with diabetes.  More of these men had low free Testosterone (calc) versus Total Testosterone.  Using QOL questionnaires, weak correlation (not statistically significant) with androgen deficiency symptoms and ED were found.

low T is found in 20-70% of men with HIV.  What is interesting about this article is that Total Testosterone was found to be a poor assessment of biological active Testosterone.  Free Testosterone assessed in the am was shown to be a better functional assessment in these men.  Serum is a poor choice though.  The process of equilibrium dialysis to calculate free Testosterone is filled with variables that will effect reliability.  Increases SHBG was found associated.

Interesting study looked at Total Testosterone (TT) and free Testosterone (FT) in older men in BMD assessment.  The authors found no change in TT, but a significant decline in free Testosterone.  This fits with other research pointing to free Testosterone as a better functional assessment tool.

low Total Testosterone associated with CAD, particularly aortic.  Obviously, Testosterone, when low, is a marker of poor health in men.  However, low Testosterone can likely play a role in disease development, especially when age is factored in--low Testosterone in younger men likely plays an etiology versus a lesser impact in the elder.

Interesting finding in this study. They looked at Total Testosterone and bioavailable Testosterone and found that antidepressant therapy increased both values post treatment.  This is counter to what has been readably seen in men--with a decline.  The abstract here does not point disclose the actual Testosterone numbers.  I wonder if the well known disruption of the CYP enzymes by antidepressants slowed clearance and increased Testosterone levels.  This study did not look at other hormones or inflammatory cytokines.  Very tunneled vision study.  Nothing can be drawn from this study.

Study finds low free Testosterone and low calculated free Testosterone was associated with sarcopenia in Japanese men.  This association was not found with Total Testosterone.

Free Testosterone is better indicator of muscle strength than total Testosterone--in this case, free Testosterone index.

male children of parents with diabetes found to have significantly lower serum total Testosterone, free Testosterone, and bioavailable Testosterone compared to male children of parents without diabetes.