Clinical Benefits and Adverse Effects of Genetically-Elevated Free Testosterone Levels: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis

    August 2019
    Pedrum Mohammadi-Shemirani, Michael Chong, Marie Pigeyre, Robert W. Morton, Hertzel C. Gerstein, Guillaume Paré
    Image of study
    TLDR Higher free testosterone levels can increase bone density and decrease body fat but may raise the risk of prostate cancer, hair loss, and benign prostate enlargement.
    In 2019, a Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted on 136,531 white British males from the UK Biobank to determine the effects of genetically-predicted calculated free testosterone (CFT) on 23 health outcomes. The study found that each 0.1 nmol/L increase in genetically-predicted CFT was associated with increased heel bone mineral density and decreased body fat percentage. However, it also led to adverse effects such as an increased risk of prostate cancer, androgenic alopecia (hair loss), benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), and increased hematocrit percentage. The study concluded that long-term elevated free testosterone levels cause prostate cancer, BPH, and hair loss while reducing body fat percentage and increasing bone density. It also found that these levels have a neutral effect on type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and cognitive outcomes.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    3 / 3 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community What an amazing time to be alive

      in Finasteride/Dutasteride  183 upvotes 1 year ago
      The post discusses a user's experience with hair loss treatments, specifically topical finasteride, minoxidil, and micro-needling, and their plan to switch to oral versions and add Dutasteride. The conversation includes various responses, with some users sharing their own experiences and side effects, and others expressing desire for a more permanent hair loss solution.

      community My mum is mad annoying about Fin.

      in Chat  245 upvotes 7 months ago
      A 25-year-old man discusses his struggles with his mother's opposition to his use of Finasteride for hair loss treatment, despite it improving his condition and self-control after a hair transplant. He expresses frustration over her blaming the medication for various issues and the stress caused by her insistence to stop taking it.

      community Male pattern baldness, and mental health

      in Finasteride/Dutasteride  331 upvotes 10 months ago
      A 48-year-old man has been using minoxidil for 15 years and considered finasteride but stopped due to potential side effects. He is concerned about his mental health and the impact of hair loss on self-image, and he encourages support among men experiencing hair loss.
      FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      community FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      in Research  330 upvotes 3 months ago
      FCE 28260 (PNU 156765), an under-explored 5α-reductase inhibitor, showcases promising results in research by Giudici et al., outperforming well-known treatments like Finasteride in reducing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Its superior efficacy, demonstrated through lower IC50 values in both natural and human recombinant enzyme studies, suggests it could offer more effective management of DHT-related conditions. Additionally, its lower molecular weight hints at better potential for topical application, potentially offering advantages in treating conditions such as androgenic alopecia. Despite its potential, it has not advanced in development, possibly due to financial limitations, leaving its therapeutic prospects and side effect profile largely unexplored.

    Related Research

    1 / 1 results