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Testosterone Improves Women's Quality of Life but Also Points to Heart Disease Risk

Posted on: Monday, 26 June 2006, 06:00 CDT

BOSTON, June 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite being known as the male hormone, testosterone plays an important role in the health of women, according to new research being presented today at a media roundtable to be held at 1:00 P.M. EDT in Boston at ENDO 2006, the 88th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society.

Two new studies to be included in the roundtable highlight the thin line between too little and too much of a good thing. One study shows that administering testosterone to women with a deficiency of the hormone improves mood, sexual function and quality of life. Another indicates that higher testosterone levels in post-menopausal women are significantly associated with increased coronary heart disease.

Testosterone Administration Improves Mood, Sexual Function and Quality of Life

Women with underactive pituitary glands who were provided with an investigational testosterone patch found both their mood and sex life improved, according to a study conducted by Dr. Karen Miller of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. They also saw improvement in a range of quality-of-life issues, including general well being, energy/fatigue, general health and sleep. However, there was no increase in most cognitive function test scores, other than a modest improvement in spatial abilities.

The 12-month study included 51 women who were randomly assigned to receive either a testosterone patch or a placebo, with the dosage adjusted to deliver a normal level of the hormone.

"This is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to show that replacing testosterone levels to normal in women with hypopituitarism may improve mood, sexual function and energy levels," said Miller. "For women with a severe deficiency of this important hormone, our study shows that treatment may make a difference in many important aspects of their lives. Further studies are needed to determine which subsets of women benefit and to investigate the long-term safety of testosterone replacement in women."

Higher Testosterone Levels Predict Cardiovascular Disease in Older Women

It is well known that pre-menopausal women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition in which testosterone levels are elevated, have increased cardiovascular risk factors. What remains unclear is whether this increased risk translates into an actual increase in cardiovascular disease later in life. Dr. Anne Cappola, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and colleagues hypothesized that late post-menopausal women with higher testosterone levels would have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women with lower testosterone levels.

They measured levels of testosterone in 344 women, aged 65-98 years, enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. They found that women with the highest testosterone levels -- in the top 25 percent -- were three times as likely to have coronary heart disease compared to women with lower testosterone levels. These women also had a three- to four-fold higher risk of having significant carotid artery blockage compared to women with lower testosterone levels.

"These data suggest that late post-menopausal women with higher testosterone levels may need to be concerned about an increased risk of coronary heart disease and significant carotid artery blockage," said Cappola. "It is difficult to determine whether the higher testosterone levels helped cause the increase in cardiovascular disease or whether testosterone is simply a marker of cardiovascular disease in these women. Future studies are needed to clarify the role of testosterone in the progression of cardiovascular disease in women."

Biocompatible Hydrogel Rings Deliver Non-Hormonal Contraceptive

A study by Dr. Young A. Han of Cornell University's Weill Medical College indicates that multi-layered hydrogel rings can be used to deliver an effective non-hormonal contraceptive agent with a controlled, timed release. The ring-shaped devices were impregnated with ferrous gluconate, which halts sperm movement, and other ingredients that make the vaginal and cervical canal inhospitable for sperm.

"The study shows that the rings were effective in releasing amounts of non-hormonal agents that would make it impossible for sperm to survive and impregnate eggs," said Han. "Such rings could also be used to deliver anti-infection agents."

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world's oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society's membership consists of over 13,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at http://www.endo-society.org/.

The Endocrine Society

CONTACT: Meghan Norville, Imre Communications, +1-410-821-8220,meghann@imrecommunications.com, for The Endocrine Society

Web site: http://www.endo-society.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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