Testosterone In Health Research Articles

The Second-to-Fourth Digit (2D:4D) Ratio of Male Combat Athletes is Associated with the Choice of Sport.

The second-to-fourth-digit (2D:4D) ratio has been widely used as a putative marker of prenatal exposure to testosterone in health, behavioral and sport sciences, but it has only been used few times regarding combat athletes. This study involved 200 male elite combat athletes (Olympic wrestling, kickboxing, judo, taekwondo and karate) and 179 males not participating in any sports. The lengths of the index finger (2D) and ring (4D) finger were measured using computer-assisted image analysis (AutoMetric 2.2 software). The 2D:4D ratio of combat athletes was significantly lower than that of the controls. Moreover, a lower 2D:4D ratio was found among wrestlers, judo athletes and kickboxers than in the control group, and a higher 2D:4D ratio was found, but with borderline significance, among karate and taekwondo athletes. Moreover, multivariate analysis adjusted for age showed that judo, Olympic wrestling and kickboxing athletes combined had 2D:4D ratios significantly lower (by 0.035 on average) than those of the rest of the subjects and that karate and taekwondo athletes together had 2D:4D ratios significantly higher (by 0.014 on average) than those of the rest of the subjects. The research results and literature review indicate that knowledge about the functional meaning of the 2D:4D ratio is still too fragmentary and it is too early to use the 2D:4D ratio in the selection of sport talent; however, it may be a useful criteria when screening prospective athletes to be recruited to a team. That is why 2D:4D reference values should be defined for particular sports.

Abstract PO-194: A systematic review of testosterone status and ill health across African populations

Abstract Introduction: Testosterone is not just a “male sex hormone” but a biomolecule with a broad spectrum of demonstrated physiological functions as well as a wide variety of physiological and pathophysiological associations about which we are just learning. The level of testosterone impacts the general well-being and outcomes of individuals and populations. Consequently, testosterone levels influence disparity in health outcomes and its variation is determined by gender, age, and racial differences. There is however, a dearth of empirical evidence regarding whether there are geographical variations in the level of testosterone and whether this variation is associated with ill health in different African populations. The current study therefore, elucidated the documented levels of testosterone in African populations. Methodology: A systematic search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, with a combination of terms including ‘testosterone’ and nationality/ancestry descriptors. The search included studies from the last 10 years using databases including Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, EBSCOHost, and ProQuest. Results: We identified 64 eligible peer-reviewed original research publications across Africa on the levels of testosterone in health and several diseases including erectile dysfunction, obesity, and drug use. Changes of plasma total testosterone (ng/dL) from control to case were evaluated; more often, regardless of region, testosterone levels for case groups were lowered, as was the case in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although, this did not hold true for every study like one for hepatitis and benign prostate hyperplasia in which levels rose for the case group. Variations across countries were evaluated. Studies from Morocco reported the least levels of testosterone, following South Africa and Tunisia with levels nearing 3.9 ng/ml. In the middle of the spectrum was Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Egypt, with levels nearing 6 ng/dl. Ethiopia had the highest levels of testosterone nearing 7.9 ng/ml. Further, the variation based on African region suggests there is no statistically significant difference between the reported levels of testosterone across North, South, West, and East Africa (p-value of 0.7804). Nevertheless, the data suggests variation in the level of testosterone across African populations. Conclusion: It is hoped that our findings will provide biological evidence for the physiological dissimilarity among Black populations and the impact of such differences on disease risk. Citation Format: Cristina Orozco, Solomon Rotimi. A systematic review of testosterone status and ill health across African populations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-194.

Trends in Androgen Prescriptions From Military Treatment Facilities: 2007 to 2011.

The role of testosterone in health and quality of life has become increasingly visible and overtly marketed to the public. Some evidence suggests that testosterone levels in men may be low because of a variety of reasons, including stress and environmental exposures. This study examines trends in testosterone prescriptions dispensed by military treatment facilities (MTFs). We examined data from the Department of Defense Pharmacy Data Transaction Service to determine the nature of androgen prescriptions dispensed through MTFs from 2007 through 2011. The number of androgen prescriptions increased more than two-fold across the military from 19,494 in 2007 to 45,270 in 2011. Most prescriptions (99%) were for men. Androgen prescription rates rose 23% per year from 2007 through 2011 (p < 0.001, CI 23-24%). The prescription rate for 35- to 44-year-olds increased more than any other age group, with annual increases averaging 33% (p < 0.001, CI 32-34%). The number of androgen prescriptions within MTFs rose significantly from 2007 through 2011. This is similar to rises in androgen prescriptions seen in civilian medical systems. Clinical indications for the sharp increase in testosterone prescriptions are unknown, and the indications for clinically appropriate testosterone replacement need further clarification.