To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ENDO: Testosterone Levels Correlated With Bone Density in Anorexics URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1FEEA6.htm Doctor's Guide June 22, 2001
By Emma Patten-Hitt
Special to DG News
DENVER, CO -- June 22, 2001 -- Low blood levels of testosterone correlate with low bone density in women with anorexia nervosa, according to new study findings. This may also be a cause of low bone density in these women, say researchers.
Dr. Karen K. Miller with Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, reported on the research yesterday (Thursday) at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO) in Denver, Colorado.
The researchers hypothesized that because ovarian function is not normal in these women, they would have low blood testosterone levels, which could contribute to low bone density.
Dr. Miller's team measured blood testosterone levels and bone density in 89 women with anorexia nervosa, and 30 healthy women of comparable age with regular menstrual periods. Body composition and bone density (BD) were measured using dual x-ray absorptiometry at several sites throughout the body.
According to the researchers, testosterone levels were significantly lower in women with anorexia nervosa compared with healthy women of similar age (23.0 versus 31.7 ng/dl). Moreover, testosterone levels correlated with bone density at many skeletal sites.
However, they point out that the importance of testosterone as a factor contributing to low bone density has not been determined, and the effect of testosterone administration on bone density is unknown.
"We know that men with low testosterone have low bone density and if we give them testosterone, their bone densities increase," Dr. Miller told Doctor's Guide, "so it is logical that testosterone levels might be involved in low bone density among anorexic women," she explained.
"The next question will be to see whether these women would benefit from low dose testosterone replacement," she said. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.