title: Reproductive aging in men.
abstract: Aging in men is associated with a decrease in serum testosterone levels due to attrition in testicular Leydig cells and slowing of the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator. The practicing endocrinologist is frequently consulted for consideration of testosterone therapy in older men with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH), a condition that many clinicians fail to distinguish from organic hypogonadism. Recent data using syndromic definition show that only 2% of 40-80-year-old men have LOH. Co-morbidities and obesity strongly contribute to LOH, suggesting that testosterone is a biomarker of health. Hence, prevention and treatment of these co-morbidities might attenuate age-related decline in androgen levels.
authors.affiliation: Section of Men's Health, Aging and Metabolism, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA. sbasaria@partners.org
authors.forename: Shehzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basaria
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D047649:Andropause; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D060728:Reproductive Health; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens