Testosterone and Alzehimer's disease

A study led by Leung-Wing Chu from Queen Mary Hospital at the University of Hong Kong has concluded that low levels of testosterone could be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. The study looked at 153 Chinese men over the age of 55. 10 of the men in the study developed Alzheimer's disease and they all had low levels of testosterone, high levels of a protein called apolipoprotein E and high blood pressure. Previous research has shown that low testosterone is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's so the next step could be a medical trial of testosterone supplements.

Testosterone and depression

People with depression often have low levels of testosterone. Researchers from West Virginia University reviewed seven studies into the use of testosterone for depression which covered a total of 364 people. They found that testosterone significantly improved people's depression symptoms, particularly if they suffered from low testosterone or HIV/AIDS. Testosterone gel was found to be more effective than intramuscular injection.

Zarrouf, Fahd Aziz ... [et al] - Testosterone and depression: systematic review and meta-analysis Journal of Psychiatric Practice July 2009, 15(4), 289-305