Group items tagged

Older men, 70-89, Testosterone in the middle range of normal and higher DHT was associated with the lowest death rates.  Estradiol was not found to be associated.  This study only looked at Total levels, free bioavailable levels were not assessed.  This study also highlights the basic thought, that more is not always better as it pertains to Testosterone.  It also highlights the importance of DHT.  Testosterone is a pro hormone.

plasma and salivary cortisol and Testosterone correlate in study of study assessing overreaching.

Preventive Cardiology.  Assessing plaque burden using calcium scoring and carotid intima media thickness.

More and more, low Testosterone is clearly a marker of poor health in men.  This study finds that low T at the time of renal transplant is associated with increase graft rejection/loss and patient death.  It appears to me that Testosterone levels should be a part of assessment for any man in poor health and/or headed for surgery.

Study finds that fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism markers can be used to assess gestational diabetes risk in pregnancy.  

This study tried to see if questionnaires could replaced free Testosterone test to diagnosis hypogonadism.  The answer of course is no.  One needs both to properly assess a individual.

This was a meta-analysis looking at the time frame of effects by Testosterone.  For most, positive effects are seen at 3-6 weeks, but the majority maximum benefits not seen for 3-6 months.  A realistic timeline is 3-4 months to assess physiologic benefit of Testosterone therapy in those with low T.  That is the key--that they have document low T.

Observational study finds BMI increase of 0.375 in both men and women per year.  The waist circumference also increased by 0.37% per year in women compared to 0.27% in men.  There was a significant reduction in physical activity over the same time period.  In women, the reporting of physical inactivity increased to 52% FROM 19% compared to 44% FROM 11% in men.  The authors found no association with change in calories.  However, an assessment in quality of calories would have likely shown a glaring difference.  Clear causation can not be concluded due to the fact that the study was observational.

Study finds no improvement in sexual desire and/or ED in older, obese men with Type II diabetes by Testosterone therapy over 40 weeks.   There is so much wrong with this study.  The authors, by design, assume that Testosterone is all there is.  No assessment of Testosterone metabolism and or its effects on inflammation was designed into this study.  These men are known to have increased inflammatory cytokine production and likely are aromatase dominant.  Given these men Testosterone may just be throwing fuel on the biochemical fire.

Astaxanthin at 20 mg found to reduce oxidized LDL and other oxidative stress biomarkers as assessed by Malondialdehydy, SOD, Isoprostane, and TAC.  The dose was 20 mg for 12 weeks. This higher dose was associated with minimal side effects--red stools.

Phase angle is a useful tool in assessing cell death/health balance, as well as cell membrane.

Study results suggest that higher Testosterone and lower Estrogen levels provide anti-inflammatory effects in men.  The inflammatory biomarker assessed here was CRP.  Low total and calculated free Testosterone was associated with an increase in CRP.  In contrast, total and free Estrogen was associated with an increase in CRP.  Estradiol increased WBC count and SHBG was inversely related to WBC count in this study.

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) exhibit decreased physical function and quality of life (QOL) following cancer treatments. Resistance training (RT) may elicit positive changes in physical and mental well-being. This study assessed 27 BCS, pre-and post-intervention (six months) on the following variables: muscular strength (via one repetition maximum (1RM) of chest press and leg extension), physical function (via the Continuous Scale-Physical Functional Performance test) and QOL (via the Short Form-36 survey). RT consisted of two days/week of ten exercises including two sets of 8-12 repetitions at 52%-69% of their 1RM. A repeated measures analysis of variance revealed BCS significantly (p < 0.05) increased upper (71 ± 22 to 89 ± 22 kg) and lower body (74 ± 18 to 93 ± 24 kg) strength, total physical function (65.5 ± 12.1 to 73.6 ± 12.2 units) and the subcomponents of physical function: upper body strength (63.5 ± 16.3 to 71.2 ± 16.8 units), lower body strength (58.5 ± 14.9 to 68.6 ± 16.3 units), balance and coordination (66.5 ± 12.2 to 74.6 ± 11.6 units), and endurance (67.2 ± 12.0 to 75.0 ± 11.6 units). No changes were observed over time for subjective measures of physical function and QOL. Results showed RT could be an effective means to improve objective physical function in BCS. Further research is needed to clarify the effects of RT on subjective physical function and QOL.

Salivary cortisol determined by enzyme immunoassay is preferable to serum total cortisol for assessment of dynamic hypothalamic--pituitary--adrenal axis activity.

salivary estriol, again, validated n PTL risk assessment

Accuracy of salivary estriol testing compared to traditional risk factor assessment in predicting preterm birth.

saliva testing is a great way to assess progesterone levels in you women with infertility.  "makes longterm monitoring of corpus luteum function a feasible means of diagnosis and follow up of treatment in infertility patients"

Saliva is a reliable way to assess estriol levels

salivary cortisol daytime pattern important in health assessment

salivary cortisol testing is "better than, that of previously described gold standards."  This makes salivary cortisol testing the gold standard for assessing cortisol levels