Testosterone Alters Iron Metabolism and Stimulates Red Blood Cell Production Independently of Dihydrotestosterone

July 2014 in “ American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism ”

Luke A. Beggs, Joshua F. Yarrow, Christine F. Conover, John R. Meuleman, Darren T. Beck, Matthew P. Morrow, Baiming Zou, Jonathan J. Shuster, Stephen E. Borst

testosterone dihydrotestosterone type II 5α-reductase testosterone-enanthate finasteride red blood cell production iron metabolism hypogonadal erythropoiesis hepcidin ferritin DHT TE Propecia

Studysummary This study found that testosterone-enanthate increased red blood cell production and altered iron homeostasis in older hypogonadal men without being affected by finasteride, indicating these effects do not require type II 5α-reductase enzyme activity.

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The study investigated the effects of testosterone-enanthate (TE) on red blood cell production and iron metabolism in 60 older hypogonadal men over 12 months. TE increased red blood cell count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin while significantly reducing serum hepcidin, indicating enhanced iron utilization for erythropoiesis. The use of finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, did not alter these effects, demonstrating that TE stimulated erythropoiesis and altered iron homeostasis independently of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The findings suggested that elevated DHT was not necessary for these androgen-mediated effects, supporting the potential of TE in treating anemia in hypogonadal men without requiring DHT conversion.

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research Exogenous Testosterone Alone or with Finasteride Increases Physical Performance, Grip Strength, and Lean Body Mass in Older Men with Low Serum Testosterone

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