Effects of Testosterone and Progressive Resistance Exercise in Healthy, Highly Functioning Older Men With Low-Normal Testosterone Levels

• Published in: The journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2013-05, Vol.98 (5), p.1891-1900
• Main Authors: Hildreth, Kerry L, Barry, Daniel W, Moreau, Kerrie L, Vande Griend, Joseph, Meacham, Randall B, Nakamura, Tammie, Wolfe, Pamela, Kohrt, Wendy M, Ruscin, J. Mark, Kittelson, John, Cress, M. Elaine, Ballard, Robert, Schwartz, Robert S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Aging; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition - drug effects; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Combined Modality Therapy; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endocrine Care; Endocrinopathies; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geriatric Assessment; Hormone Replacement Therapy - adverse effects; Humans; Lost to Follow-Up; Male; Medical sciences; Muscle Strength - drug effects; Patient Compliance; Patient Dropouts; Resistance Training; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - analysis; Testosterone - administration & dosage; Testosterone - adverse effects; Testosterone - deficiency; Testosterone - therapeutic use; Upper Extremity; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: endocrinology
• ISSN: 0021-972X; 1945-7197
• DOI: 10.1210/jc.2012-3695

Context: Aging in men is associated with reduced testosterone (T) levels and physiological changes leading to frailty, but the benefits of T supplementation are inconclusive. Objective: We studied the effects of T supplementation with and without progressive resistance training (PRT) on functional performance, strength, and body composition. Design, Setting, and Participants: We recruited 167 generally healthy community-dwelling older men (66 ± 5 years) with low-normal baseline total T levels (200–350 ng/dL). Intervention: Subjects were randomized to placebo or transdermal T gel [2 doses targeting either a lower (400–550 ng/dL) or higher (600–1000 ng/dL) T range] and to either PRT or no exercise for 12 months. Main Outcome Measure: The primary outcome was functional performance, whereas secondary outcomes were strength and body composition. Results: A total of 143 men completed the study. At 12 months, total T was 528 ± 287 ng/dL in subjects receiving any T and 287 ± 65 ng/dL in the placebo group. In the PRT group, function and strength were not different between T- and placebo-treated subjects, despite greater improvements in fat mass (P = .04) and fat-free mass (P = .01) with T. In the non-PRT group, T did not improve function but improved fat mass (P = .005), fat-free mass (P = .03), and upper body strength (P = .03) compared with placebo. There were fewer cardiovascular events in the T-treated groups compared with placebo. Conclusions: T supplementation was well tolerated and improved body composition but had no effect on functional performance. T supplementation improved upper body strength only in nonexercisers compared with placebo.