Men with low testosterone levels may be at greater risk of severe COVID-19, reports JAMA Network OPEN. This is the result of an analysis of blood taken from 90 men. The research was conducted by scientists from the University of Washington in St. Louis.
- To date, almost 171 million people have fallen ill with the coronavirus worldwide. COVID-19 affects women as much as men
- However, men are more likely to have severe symptoms and die more often
- Scientists explained that, inter alia, stronger immune system in women
- Recent research indicates that it could be caused by male hormones
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Testosterone levels and COVID-19 infection
Observations made during the pandemic show that men tolerate SARS-CoV-2 infection worse than women. There has been speculation that testosterone may be responsible for this. The latest research by scientists from the University of Washington in St. Louis (USA), however, shows that low testosterone levels in men are associated with a more severe course of the disease.
The researchers analyzed blood samples from 90 men and 62 women who were hospitalized with symptoms of COVID-19. Various hormones, including testosterone and estradiol, were tested on admission and then after 3, 7, 14 and 28 days. The level of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) was also taken into account, which plays a role, inter alia, in in maintaining muscle mass.
There was no correlation between the level of any hormone and the course of COVID-19 among women. In the case of men, the course of the disease was only influenced by the level of testosterone, and the lower the level of this hormone, the worse the condition of the patients. Men with low testosterone levels needed a respirator more often, intensive care, and were also more likely to die.
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Low testosterone level, what is it?
For low testosterone levels in the blood in men, it is considered below 250 ng / dL. At the time of admission to the hospital, men in the most severe condition had an average of 53 ng / dL, and in the less severe condition – 151 ng / dL. After three days, this level in the sickest patients was only 19 ng / dL.
Low testosterone levels correlated with greater levels of inflammation and with increased activation of genes that allow the body to compensate for the effects of sex hormones inside cells. In other words, the body has adapted to and used lower testosterone levels more sparingly.
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«We are currently investigating the relationship between sex hormone levels and cardiovascular complications after COVID-19. We also want to find out if men recovering from illness can experience the benefits of hormone therapy to increase testosterone levels »comments Dr. Abhinav Diwan.
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