Low testosterone has long been linked with aging and several health problems, but scientists have continued to debate whether it is also connected with cancer risk. Testosterone is the main male sex hormone.
It helps regulate muscle mass, bone strength, sex drive, energy levels, and the production of sperm. Testosterone levels naturally fall with age, but they can also be affected by obesity, diabetes, lack of physical activity, and some medical conditions.
A large international study now suggests that men with very low testosterone levels may face a higher risk of dying from cancer later in life. The findings come from the Androgens in Men Study (AIMS), an international research collaboration led by Professor Bu Yeap at The University of Western Australia. The results were published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
The researchers analyzed health information from more than 26,000 men who participated in 11 long-term studies across Australia, the United States, and Europe.
Blood samples collected years earlier were used to measure testosterone and several other hormones, including dihydrotestosterone (DHT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and luteinising hormone. The researchers then compared these hormone levels with cancer diagnoses and deaths that occurred over the following decades.
The study found that men whose testosterone levels were among the lowest 20 percent had an 18 percent higher risk of dying from cancer than men with the highest levels, even after accounting for age and other health factors. The researchers also identified a possible threshold. Cancer risk appeared to rise once testosterone levels fell below about 8.6 nanomoles per liter.
Interestingly, prostate cancer showed a different pattern. Natural testosterone levels were not linked with prostate cancer risk. Instead, lower levels of SHBG and luteinising hormone were associated with a greater likelihood of developing prostate cancer.
The researchers emphasized that these findings should not be interpreted as a reason for healthy men to start testosterone therapy. The study found only an association and cannot prove that low testosterone directly causes cancer. It also provides no evidence that testosterone treatment would reduce cancer risk.
Instead, Professor Yeap said low testosterone should be viewed as a possible warning sign that encourages a full medical assessment. Doctors may identify other health conditions, such as obesity or diabetes, that contribute to both lower testosterone and poorer long-term health.
This study is particularly strong because it combined data from over 26,000 men followed for many years in multiple countries. However, it was an observational study, so it cannot establish cause and effect.
Low testosterone may simply reflect poorer overall health rather than directly increasing cancer risk. Future research and clinical trials will be needed before hormone testing can become part of routine cancer risk prediction.
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Source: The University of Western Australia.
