INTRODUCTION: Statins belong to the most commonly used medicines worldwide.
They affect cholesterol synthesis and thus they may suppress steroidogenesis. Our aim was to evaluate whether the use of statins is associated with the concentration of sex hormones.
MATERIAL AND METHODS/RESULTS: In a population sample of men (n = 237) we found that subjects receiving statins had significantly lower concentrations of: total testosterone (14.9 vs. 16.35 nmol/L, p = 0.008 after correction for body mass), free testosterone (32 vs. 39 pmol/L, p = 0.004), calculated free testosterone (0.32 vs. 0.36 nmol/L, p < 0.001) and bioavailable testosterone (6.10 vs. 7.56 nmol/L, p < 0.001) than age-matched controls.
CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the use of statins may have an impact on the diagnosis of age-related testosterone deficiency in men.
Written by:
Mędraś M, Kubicka E1, Jóźkow P, Słowińska-Lisowska M, Trzmiel-Bira A, Filus A. Are you the author?
Department of Biological Principles of Sport, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, Wroclaw, Poland.
Reference: Endokrynol Pol. 2014;65(6):464-8.
doi: 10.5603/EP.2014.0064
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25554614