Study Shows Men With Disease Have 33% Greater Chance of Dying in Next 18 Years

BOCA RATON (ASRN.ORG) - Results of a new nationwide survey show that more than half of women whose male partners have symptoms of a medical condition known as low testosterone incorrectly attribute them to the normal course of aging. The survey also found that, while women believe their male partner's symptoms of low testosterone negatively impact their relationship, treatment of the condition improves the quality of the relationship. 

Low testosterone, or testosterone deficiency associated with hypogonadism, is a medical condition caused by disease or damage to the testicles, hypothalamus, or pituitary gland that inhibits hormone secretion and testosterone production in men. As many as five million men over the age of 18 have lower than normal levels of testosterone.

"Most people don't realize that low testosterone is a serious medical condition, and one that can have an impact on the entire family," said the spokes person that commissioned the survey. "If left untreated, low testosterone can affect a man's overall health, personal relationships, and quality of life. And, it can also affect his partner's perception of the relationship and quality of life."

As reported by the women surveyed, symptoms of low testosterone in most symptomatic men included lack of energy (64%), decreased libido (61%), less strong erections (64%), a sad and/ or grumpy mood (58%), and irritability (60%). Symptoms most troublesome to women with a symptomatic partner are mood swings (91%), depression (91%), irritability (86%), a sad and/ or grumpy mood (81%), and decreased enjoyment of life (74%).

The online survey of 2,008 women aged 30 or older (mean age 45.8 years) in a romantic relationship for at least three years (mean 19.8 years) with a man aged 35 to 65 (mean age 48.8 years) was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of a national coalition that inspires health and wellness for women and their families on a local level by leveraging national resources.

Scientific research links decreased levels of testosterone in men to a number of significant medical conditions, including metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood lipids, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

The most recent research, conducted by the University of California at San Diego, found low testosterone may lead to a greater risk of death in men aged 50 and older. The study tracked nearly 800 men, 50 to 91 years old, living in California and found that men with low testosterone had a 33 percent greater death risk over their next 18 years of life compared with men who had higher testosterone.

Other Key Survey Findings

  The survey also found:
  -Among women with symptomatic partners, 44% of those whose partners have not visited his doctor predict that the barrier to visiting is that he thinks his symptoms are a normal part of aging.
  -Among women with symptomatic partners, 18% have not discussed their partner's symptoms and 28% report that they are not comfortable discussing his symptoms.

  The Symptoms of Low T Negatively Affect Relationship Quality
  -Women with symptomatic (27%) or diagnosed (48%) partners indicate that the symptoms of low T affect/ affected their relationship.
  -Less physical intimacy is mentioned by women with symptomatic partners (72%) and women with diagnosed partners (78%) as the largest impact symptoms have or had on their relationship.
  -Women with symptomatic partners also report that communication with their partner suffers (51%) and that they feel more lonely (47%).
 -Two-thirds of women whose partners have been diagnosed mention that prior to his diagnosis, their partner seemed distant.

Treating Low T Improves Relationship Quality
  - Forty-two percent of women with a diagnosed partner report that his treatment (most often testosterone replacement therapy) improved their partner's symptoms.
  - One-third of women with a diagnosed partner indicate that their quality of life has improved as a result of their partner's treatment for low T.
  -Prior to diagnosis, just over half (57%) of women were satisfied with the quality of their relationship.  After their partner was diagnosed with low T, 81 percent of women are satisfied with the quality of their current relationship.

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