title: Endocrine milieu and erectile dysfunction: is oestradiol-testosterone imbalance, a risk factor in the elderly?
abstract: Oestrogens are not exclusive to the female gender but occur in moderate circulating levels of 25-70 pg ml⁻¹ in men, compared to 44-153 pg ml⁻¹ in women. Arising from aromatisation of testosterone (T), oestrogen is considered to have many opposing physiological functions and the progressive T decline in the aging male is associated with relative and/or absolute increase in serum oestradiol (E₂). Sexual disinterest and erectile dysfunction (ED) in the elderly may well be due to pathophysiological E₂-T imbalance; the altered hormonal ratio may also explain the higher incidence of ED in hyperestrogenism or following exposure to environmental/plant oestrogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Hospital, National University of Singapore, Singapore
authors.forename: Balasubramanian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Srilatha
authors.forename: P Ganesan
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Adaikan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D013739:Testosterone; D004958:Estradiol