Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Center for Bone Research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, SE-41345 Gothenburg, Sweden.
Association studies in men have shown that androgens are inversely related to fat measures, while the relation between sex steroids and lean mass remains unclear. We, therefore, investigated the associations between serum sex steroid levels and body composition in elderly men with a main focus on lean mass measures.
A cross-sectional survey of a population-based cohort of 3014 elderly men, aged 69-80 years (Osteoporotic Fractures in Men study, Sweden). Serum levels of testosterone and estradiol (E(2)) were measured by mass spectrometry, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were measured by IRMA, and measures of body composition were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Total as well as free serum testosterone associated independently inversely (P