title: Testosterone Attenuates Age-Related Fall in Aerobic Function in Mobility Limited Older Men With Low Testosterone.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Testosterone increases skeletal muscle mass and strength, but the effects of testosterone on aerobic performance in mobility-limited older men have not been evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of testosterone supplementation on aerobic performance, assessed as peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak) and gas exchange lactate threshold (V̇O2θ), during symptom-limited incremental cycle ergometer exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subgroup analysis of the Testosterone in Older Men with Mobility Limitations Trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exercise physiology laboratory in an academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four mobility-limited men 65 years or older with low total (100-350 ng/dL) or free (<50 pg/dL) testosterone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomized to receive 100-mg testosterone gel or placebo gel daily for 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  V̇O2peak and V̇O2θ from a symptom-limited cycle exercise test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (SD) baseline V̇O2peak was 20.5 (4.3) and 19.9 (4.7) mL/kg/min for testosterone and placebo, respectively. V̇O2peak increased by 0.83 (2.4) mL/kg/min in testosterone but decreased by -0.89 (2.5) mL/kg/min in placebo (P = .035); between group difference in change in V̇O2peak was significant (P = .006). This 6-month reduction in placebo was greater than the expected -0.4-mL/kg/min/y rate of decline in the general population. V̇O2θ did not change significantly in testosterone but decreased by 1.1 (1.8) mL/kg/min in placebo, P = .011 for between-group comparisons. Hemoglobin increased by 1.0 ± 3.5 and 0.1 ± 0.8 g/dL in testosterone and placebo groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testosterone supplementation in mobility-limited older men increased hemoglobin and attenuated the age-related declines in V̇O2peak and V̇O2θ. Long-term intervention studies are needed to determine the durability of this effect.
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Storer
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Shalender
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhasin
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Travison
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pencina
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miciek
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKinnon
authors.affiliation: Research Program in Men's Health: Aging and Metabolism (T.W.S., S.Bh., T.G.T., K.P., J.M., S.Ba.), Boston Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (R.M.), Boston, Massachusetts 02115; and Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research (T.G.T.), Roslindale, Massachusetts 02131.
authors.forename: Shehzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basaria
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005080:Exercise Test; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone