An increased level of testosterone may increase a mans risk of suffering from heart complications, according to a study presented at The Endocrine Societys annual meeting.
During a five-year study, researchers monitored the risk of suffering fractures in more than 690 men with an average age of 72 years. Over the course of four years of follow-ups, the investigators discovered that a total of 100 participants suffered from at least one type of heart disease, such as a heart attack.
After taking blood samples from each of these individuals, the team found that all of these patients had naturally high testosterone levels. In fact, men with the highest amount of the hormone in their blood were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease.
The researchers concluded that despite the need for further research, they were able to confirm that these findings proved that after 65 years of age, men with high testosterone levels are at a higher risk of developing a cardiovascular-related health problem.
In 2006, a total of 398,563 men in the United States died from a form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).