Bone mineral density and androgen levels in elderly males

• Published in: Calcified tissue international 1999-12, Vol.65 (6), p.417-421
• Main Authors: Rapado, A, Hawkins, F, Sobrinho, L, Díaz-Curiel, M, Galvao-Telles, A, Arver, S, Melo Gomes, J, Mazer, N, Garcia e Costa, J, Horcajada, C, López-Gavilanes, E, Mascarenhas, M, Papapietro, K, López Alvarez, M B, Pereira, M C, Martinez, G, Valverde, I, García, J J, Carballal, J J, García, I
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Mass Index; Bone Density; Femur - diagnostic imaging; Femur - physiology; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - metabolism; Lumbar Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Lumbar Vertebrae - physiology; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Osteocalcin - blood; Osteoporosis - blood; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - metabolism; Testosterone - blood; Vitamin D-Binding Protein - blood
• ISSN: 0171-967X; 1432-0827
• DOI: 10.1007/s002239900726

To clarify the relationship of sex male hormones and bone in men, we studied in 140 healthy elderly men (aged 55-90 years) the relation between serum levels of androgens and related sex hormones, bone mineral density (BMD) at different sites, and other parameters related to bone metabolism. Our results show a slight decrease of serum-free testosterone with age, with an increase of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in a third of the elderly subjects studied. BMD decreased significantly with age in all regions studied, except in the lumbar spine. We found a positive correlation between body mass index (BMI) and BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck (P < 0.001). No relationship was found (uni- and multivariate regression analysis) between serum androgens or sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and BMD. We found a positive correlation of vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and osteocalcin with lumbar spine BMD and with BMI, DBP, IGF-1, and PTH with femoral neck BMD. In conclusion, there is a slight decline in free testosterone and BMD in the healthy elderly males. However, sex male hormones are not correlated to the decrease in hip BMD. Other age-related factors must be associated with bone loss in elderly males.