Research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (November 12, 2007; 167(20):2249–2254) examined whether levels of certain anabolic hormones were associated with mortality risk in older men.
The study measured insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) in more than 400 men aged 65 and older. Participants were followed for six years.
Men with low levels of one of these hormones had a 47% higher risk of death over the six-year follow-up period. Low levels of two hormones were associated with an 85% increased risk, while low levels of all three hormones were associated with a 129% higher risk of mortality. The authors concluded that combined deficiencies in these hormones may serve as a marker of increased vulnerability and reduced physiological reserve in aging men.
