Low Testosterone Linked to Male Depression

In the early years of life, women are more likely than men to be depressed. As we age, however, rates of male depression soar to near-equal levels with women. New research provides strong evidence that this may be due to the drop in hormones that accompanies aging.

Data from 3987 Australian men aged 71 to 89 was collected for the study. Subjects provided blood samples and completed questionnaires about health history and demographics.

Five percent of the participants met criteria for depression. These men were found to have "significantly lower" levels of free and total testosterone than men who were not depressed. After adjusting for factors such as obesity and educational attainment, results showed that the 20 percent of men who had the lowest concentrations of testosterone were three times more likely to be depressed than the 20 percent of men with the highest concentrations of the hormone.

ABSTRACT: Low Free Testosterone Concentration as a Potentially Treatable Cause of Depressive Symptoms in Older Men