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Cited by 22Hormonal and reproductive studiesStress Responses and CortisolTreatment of Major Depression

Bioavailable testosterone is associated with symptoms of depression in adult men

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Chen, Zhongbao, Shen, Xubo, Tian, Kunming, Liu, Yijun, Xiong, Shimin, Yu, Qin, Dai, Lulu, Shi, Yongjun +5 more·2020·Journal of International Medical Research
DOI 10.1177/0300060520941715PMC PMC7557700
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Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum testosterone levels and depressive symptoms in an adult male population. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1166 male participants from Zunyi, Guizhou, China. Each participant completed a questionnaire, a brief clinical exam, and had a fasting blood sample taken. We measured serum testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and luteinizing hormone levels. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the effect of demographic factors on the relationship between the depressive symptom score and serum sex hormone levels. Results: Mean testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and luteinizing hormone levels were significantly higher in the depressive symptom group than in the non-depressed group. The mean calculated free serum testosterone level and free testosterone index (FTI) were significantly lower in the depressive symptom group than in the non-depressed group. Additionally, the mean FTI was significantly negatively correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory scale score in the multiple linear regression model (95% confidence interval: −3.274 to −0.406). Conclusions: Decreased bioactive testosterone levels might be a contributing factor of depression in adult men. The FTI could be the most sensitive biomarker reflecting the level of bioavailable testosterone in patients with depression.

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  • The albumin-bound fraction of T is part of the usable T pool because of the low Ka between T and albumin, making the binding prone to dissociation.

    “In this definition of bioavailable T, the albumin-bound fraction is designated part of the usable T pool because of the low Ka between T and albumin, making the binding between ligand and carrier prone to dissociation [21, 22].”

    From Role of sex hormone-binding globulin in the free hormone hypothesis and the relevance of free testosterone in androgen physiology (2022) · cites this paper as [21]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) says that 33%–54% of circulating testosterone is albumin-bound and contrasts this with SHBG-bound testosterone, which loses biological activity because it is tightly bound. This supports the distinction underlying the claim, but the paper does not state that albumin-bound testosterone belongs to the bioavailable pool because of a low Ka or readily dissociates. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The sum of the free and albumin-bound fraction constitutes the biologically available (bioavailable) amount of testosterone in circulation.

    “Hence, the sum of the free and the albumin-bound fraction was determined to constitute the biological available (or bioavailable) amount in circulation (Fig. 1).”

    From Role of sex hormone-binding globulin in the free hormone hypothesis and the relevance of free testosterone in androgen physiology (2022) · cites this paper as [21]

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Research works printed but not linked: 43

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Chen, Z., Shen, X., Tian, K., Liu, Y., Xiong, S., Yu, Q., Dai, L., Shi, Y., Zhang, R., Zeng, R., Wan, Q., Xiong, C., & Zhou, Y.
Affiliations
  • Zunyi Medical University (CN)
  • Department of Neonatology, Guiyang Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital, Guiyang, China
  • Huazhong University of Science and Technology (CN)
Corresponding author
Zhou, Yuanzhong
ORCID
Venue
Journal of International Medical Research
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2020-08
Volume
48
Issue
8
Pages
300060520941715-300060520941715
ISSN
  • 0300-0605 (ISSN-L)
  • 1473-2300
DOI
10.1177/0300060520941715
PMC
PMC7557700
OpenAlex
W3048055245
Cited by
22
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5
FWCI
2.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of International Medical Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • National Social Science Fund Project (14BRK033)
  • the Chinese “12th Five-Year Plan” Supporting Science and Technology Project (2012BAI32B03)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
Keywords
bioavailable testosterone, depressive symptoms, male depression, free testosterone index, sex hormone-binding globulin, luteinizing hormone, serum testosterone, depression biomarkers, adult male
MeSH terms
Adult, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depression, Humans, Male, Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin, Testosterone

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