Sex Hormones and Frailty in Older Men: The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study

The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study, involving 1469 men aged 65 or older, found that low levels of bioavailable testosterone (bioT) were independently associated with worse baseline frailty status. Men in the lowest quartile of bioT had a 1.39-fold increased odds of greater frailty compared to those in the highest quartile after adjusting for age, body size, health status, and medical conditions. After 4.1 years, men in the lowest quartile of bioT had a 1.51-fold increased odds of greater frailty, although this association was largely attenuated after adjusting for covariates. No other hormones were associated with frailty status in either cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses after adjustment. The study suggests that frailty status should be considered as an outcome in trials of testosterone supplementation.