The study has yet to be conclusively proven
Elderly men with naturally higher levels of testosterone may be less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than their peers, according to new research.
Findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed that of 2,400 Swedish men in the their 70s and 80s, those with the highest testosterone levels were less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke over the next several years than men with the lowest levels.
Study leader Ana Tivesten, at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Goteborg, Sweden, says: "What we can say is that elderly men with high testosterone levels are relatively protected against cardiovascular events, and therefore lower testosterone is a marker for increased cardiovascular risk."
However, the results do not conclusively prove that the hormone itself deserves the credit.
Serious health conditions can lower testosterone levels, as can obesity, but in the study, the researchers accounted for a number of health factors.
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