A presentation at the 2014 Joint Meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society reveals that higher levels of testosterone resulted in poorer sleep for study subjects. The consequences of low testosterone have been widely reported, but these findings from Eve Van Cauter, PHD, senior investigator and director of the University of Chicago Sleep, Metabolism and Health Center, cast a different light on the hormone question.
“This finding could have clinical relevance in the context of the recent increase in testosterone prescriptions in middle-aged men, as poor sleep quality has been linked to increased risk of diabetes and hypertension,” said Van Cauter.
Recent studies have shown that three out of four men in America are overweight or obese, and the presented study looked at factors which contributed to OSA. According to HCP Live, Van Cauter’s team used a group of 44 nonsmoking men between the ages of 20 and 50 who were overweight or obese but were otherwise healthy.
After undergoing a polysomnogram, results showed that 66% of participants had OSA which was determined to be moderately severe in most of the 29 cases. “The men were also asked to give a blood sample the morning after the study to measure testosterone level,” wrote HCP reporters. “Results were also attained by statistical analysis of subjects’ demographics including age and race to look at slow-wave activity.”