Low hormone levels may raise fall risk in older men

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older men with low testosterone levels are about 40 percent more likely to fall than their peers with high levels, according to the findings of a new study.

Testosterone levels are known to decrease with age, lead author Dr. Eric Orwoll, from Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and colleagues note in their report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The effect of this hormonal change on physical functioning and the risk of falls, however, has not been clear.

To further investigate, the researchers evaluated 2,587 men between 65 and 99 years of age who had testosterone levels measured at study entry, and were followed for 4 years.

Fifty-six percent of the men reported having at least one fall during the study period and many reported having several falls, the report indicates.

As testosterone levels fell, the researchers found that the men's risk of falling increased. Overall, men with the lowest levels of testosterone were 40 percent more likely to fall than those with the highest levels of the hormone.

The degree to which testosterone levels affected the risk of falling varied by subject age. Among men in their 60s, the effect was most pronounced, with low levels raising the risk by 80 percent. Conversely, in men 80 years of age or older, testosterone levels did not appear to affect the risk of falling.

Low testosterone levels also correlated with reduced physical performance, but even after accounting for physical performance, low hormone levels were still associated with an increased risk of falls. This suggests that the effect of testosterone levels on the risk of falling is not simply related to reduced physical performance, and likely involves other factors, the authors note.

These findings "provide insight into how testosterone measurements might be useful for identifying men at higher risk for adverse events," they add.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, October 23, 2006.