Marked decline in trabecular bone mineral content in healthy men with age: lack of association with sex steroid levels
Abstract
To define the association of age-related changes in bone mineral content to gonadal function in normal men, we measured radial (largely cortical) and vertebral (largely trabecular) bone mineral content (BMC), testosterone (total and free), estrone and estradiol-17B levels in 62 healthy subjects, ages 30 to 92. Radial BMC fell 2 to 3.4% per decade but vertebral trabecular BMC declined more rapidly at 12% per decade. Of the sex steroids measured the only statistically significant change occurred in free testosterone levels which decreased with age (r = -.57, P less than .0001). Free testosterone levels correlated significantly with trabecular vertebral BMC (r = .458, P less than .0002) but not with bone mineral measures at the predominantly cortical radial sites. However, by multiple regression analysis free testosterone did not add to the effect of age on vertebral BMC. There were no associations of total testosterone, estrone, or estradiol levels to bone mineral content at any of the three sites measured in these healthy men. Age-related declines in male gonadal function do not appear to be of primary importance in male age-related bone loss.
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The relationship between testosterone levels in aging and bone health is uncertain because studies have produced conflicting results.
“These confounding results leave uncertainty in the relationship between T levels in aging and bone health.”
From Hormonal and Metabolic Changes of Aging and the Influence of Lifestyle Modifications (2021) · cites this paper as [172]
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- Authors
- Meier, D. E., Orwoll, E. S., Keenan, E. J., & Fagerstrom, R. M.
- Affiliations
- Mount Sinai Hospital (US)
- Oregon Health & Science University (US)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
- Corresponding author
- Meier, Diane E.
- Venue
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1987-03
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 189-197
- ISSN
- 0002-8614 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-5415
- OpenAlex
- W1980078543
- Cited by
- 131
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for Research Resources (RR-00334)
- NIH Clinical Center
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Keywords
- age-related bone loss, free testosterone, sex steroids, estradiol, estrone, healthy men
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Bone and Bones, Estradiol, Estrone, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Minerals, Radioimmunoassay, Radionuclide Imaging, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Testosterone, Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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