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Hypogonadism and aging
BMC Geriatrics volume 10, Article number: L23 (2010)
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study [1] shows that male hormones decrease with aging. This is due to some testicular and hypothalamic-pituitary defects. Impaired hypothalamic secretory reserve, resulting in a reduced and chaotic secretion of GnRH, reduced pituitary response to GnRH, resulting in an increased but irregular LH pulse frequency [2]
With aging, there is a 1.3% increase of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels per year [3]. SHBG binds strongly to testosterone, resulting in a reduction of bioavailable testosterone. The age-related reduction of testosterone seems genetically determined3.The Testosterone reduction plays many effects on body composition [4]. Testosterone also operates its effects on the penis leading to a reduction of smooth muscle cells/connettive tissue rate, neuronal nitric oxide synthases, arterial influx/venoocclusion rate. Recently, three scientific societies published some recommendations for the investigation, treatment and monitoring of this kind of hypogonadism, that has been renamed Late Onset Hypogonadism [5]. These recommendationshave been updated lately [6] and shared by two more scientific societies.
References
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Lanzafame, F. Hypogonadism and aging. BMC Geriatr 10 (Suppl 1), L23 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2318-10-S1-L23
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2318-10-S1-L23