Low Testosterone Earlier in Life Could Increase Risk of Developing Prostate Cancer

Astudy looked at 376 men ages 45 to 75 years with untreated low testosterone. During follow-up ranging from 2 to 11 years, 26 of these men developed prostate cancer. The researchers found that the older a man was when his testosterone dropped below 12.1 nmol/l, the less the lifetime risk of prostate cancer he had. The risk declined by 32% with each year older a man was when his testosterone dropped. This means that men who develop low testosterone when they are younger could have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer later in life.

The study was the first to provide evidence of the association between patterns of testosterone and prostate cancer development and “may have substantial clinical impacts on prostate cancer prevention,” the authors wrote.