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4 min readLow testosterone is a common condition among middle-aged and older men.Scientists have uncovered a link between low testosterone and increased cancer risk.Doctors suggest consulting with your healthcare provider if you\u2019re having symptoms of low testosterone.<\/p>\n
When you hear the phrase \u201clow testosterone,\u201d you might think about low libido or fatigue. But men with low testosterone\u2014known colloquially as \u201clow T,\u201d and as \u201cmale hypogonadism\u201d in the medical community\u2014have more to worry about than the symptoms generally associated with the common condition. According to the Cleveland Clinic,<\/a> it can increase the risk of osteoporosis or heart and blood vessel disorders. And now, a new study has linked low testosterone in men to an increased risk<\/a> of cancer.<\/p>\n Below, oncologists weigh in on the findings, explain the potential connection between low testosterone and cancer, and share their thoughts on detecting and treating the hormonal deficiency.<\/p>\n Meet the Experts: Rohit Gosain, M.D<\/a>., medical director at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and co-host of The Oncology Brothers<\/a> podcast; Amar Rewari, M.D.<\/a>, chief of radiation oncology at Luminis Health and adjunct assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; and Christopher Koller, M.D.<\/a>, urologic oncologist at Hackensack University Medical Center.<\/p>\n What did the study find?<\/p>\n The study, published in The Lancet<\/a>, was a comprehensive meta-analysis that pooled data from 11 studies with a combined total of 24,500 participants. Scientists looked at the men\u2019s testosterone levels and their likelihood of receiving a cancer diagnosis or dying from cancer over a 5-year period. Data were then adjusted for confounding factors like age and lifestyle habits.<\/p>\n The researchers found that men with very low baseline testosterone concentrations were more likely to both develop cancer and die from cancer, whereas normal testosterone levels were associated with lower cancer risk. Importantly, low testosterone was not associated with increased risk of prostate cancer specifically. (There is a common belief that testosterone and prostate cancer are linked, which these findings suggest is false.) Instead, a higher risk of prostate cancer diagnosis was associated with lower levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and luteinising hormone (LH).<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a significant finding because it suggests testosterone may be doing more in the body than we typically credit it for,\u201d says Rohit Gosain, M.D<\/a>., medical director at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and co-host of The Oncology Brothers<\/a> podcast. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a small study with a tidy conclusion that falls apart under scrutiny,\u201d he adds. \u201cThe breadth of the data is part of what makes it worth paying attention to.\u201d<\/p>\n Overall, the findings suggest that the studied hormones \u201cmay be important biomarkers for cancer risk and mortality,\u201d says Christopher Koller, M.D.<\/a>, urologic oncologist at Hackensack University Medical Center.<\/p>\n What\u2019s behind the link?<\/p>\n To be clear, the study only found a correlation between low testosterone and cancer risk\u2014it didn\u2019t find that having low testosterone caused cancer. In fact, while experts don\u2019t fully understand how the two are connected, Dr. Gosain believes it\u2019s possible that rather than causing cancer, low testosterone simply points to \u201csomething already going wrong in the body.\u201d He continues, \u201cIn middle-aged and older men, low levels can signal reduced physical resilience and underlying health conditions that don\u2019t always announce themselves otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n On the other hand, testosterone helps regulate immune function, body composition, and inflammation\u2014so its absence can have consequences. \u201cWhen levels drop, you tend to see more visceral fat, insulin resistance, and chronic low-grade inflammation. These are all known contributors to cancer risk. It\u2019s less a single cause and more a cluster of conditions that can compound over time,\u201d Dr. Gosain says.<\/p>\n How to detect and treat low testosterone<\/p>\n These findings may have you curious about checking your testosterone levels or inquiring about hormone replacement therapy, but oncologists suggest taking it slow\u2014especially if you\u2019re not showing signs of the condition. \u201cCurrent guidelines still recommend testing men who have symptoms of testosterone deficiency, such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, decreased muscle mass, or osteoporosis, rather than screening everyone,\u201d says Amar Rewari, M.D.<\/a>, chief of radiation oncology at Luminis Health and adjunct assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.<\/p>\n If you and your healthcare provider do decide to test your hormones, don\u2019t expect overnight results. A fasting morning blood draw must be collected on at least two separate occasions, notes Dr. Gosain. \u201cA single low reading isn\u2019t enough to act on, and if levels consistently come back low, the next step is additional bloodwork to understand where the issue is coming from,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n