Vol 65, No 6 (2014)
Original paper
Published online: 2014-12-31

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Treatment with statins and testosterone levels in men

Marek Mędraś, Eliza Kubicka, Paweł Jóźkow, Małgorzata Słowińska-Lisowska, Anna Trzmiel-Bira, Alicja Filus
DOI: 10.5603/EP.2014.0064
Endokrynol Pol 2014;65(6):464-468.

Abstract

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. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 464–468)