Why being a 'man's man' could add years to your life, according to new study

Men with low levels of testosterone may be suffering from more than low energy and a lack of sex drive.

Researchers from Australia and Europe found men who had low levels of the sex hormone below normal limits had up to a 10 percent higher chance of dying from any cause compared to men who were within a normal range. 

The hormone keeps muscles strong and lowers fat, which probably protects against diseases associated with obesity, as well as falls and injuries, according to the researchers.

Doctors have drawn attention to a 'silent epidemic' that affects men with very low testosterone - male menopause, or 'manopause.' 

Like with women, the term is used to describe the period in an adult man’s life when his hormone levels crash, causing a host of symptoms that shatter sufferers' confidence or are outright debilitating — including erectile dysfunction, depression, anxiety and rapid fat gain. 

Lower-than-normal levels of testosterone can lead to lack of a sex drive, low energy, loss of muscle mass, and irritability

Previous studies have shown conflicting and inconsistent findings on the influence of sex hormones on aging men.

However, the newest review of 11 studies consisting of more than 24,000 men provides more clues.

A normal range of testosterone in men is 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). 

The researchers found men with less than 213 ng/dL of testosterone had a higher risk for all-cause mortality and men with less than 153 ng/dL had an increased risk of dying from heart disease. 

The team added that very low testosterone concentrations might also indicate someone has another health issue - like diabetes, HIV, autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy or excessive alcohol consumption - therefore leading to a higher mortality risk.

The study, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found men with testosterone levels of 244 ng/dL or lower had up to a nine percent higher chance of dying from any cause compared to men in the study with levels ranging from 340 to 706.

For men with low-T, they had up to a 32 percent higher chance of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to the other men included in the study. 

Testosterone is a male sex hormone produced in the testicles and is responsible for the development and maintenance of male sex characteristics, such as the prostate, testicles and libido, as well as increased muscle and bone mass and the growth of body hair. 

Lower-than-normal levels of the hormone can lead to lack of a sex drive, low energy, depression, loss of muscle mass, erectile dysfunction, infertility, poor sleep and irritability. 

There are many reasons why a man would have low-T, including damage to the testicles or pituitary gland, obesity, genetic disorders, diabetes or normal aging. 

Testosterone therapy can partially reverse these symptoms and involves introducing supplemental testosterone into the body in several ways: skin patches, gels, tablets or injections. 

To naturally boost testosterone, some men may exercise and lift weights more, increase intake of vitamin D, minimize stress, get plenty of sleep and limit alcohol intake.  

There is no exact number on how many men suffer from low-T, medically known as hypogonadism, but various professional medical organizations estimate it affects about two to five percent of American men.

It had previously been thought that raising testosterone levels might increase the risk someone has a stroke or heart attack, but the overall role of testosterone in men's health has been debated.

But a 2023 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine poked holes in this believe.

Researchers in that study found testosterone-replacement therapy in men who low-T didn't increase the risk that someone will die of a heart attack.