Testosterone & Inflammation?

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation?

The role of testosterone in the pathophysiology of inflammation is of critical clinical importance; however, no universal mechanism(s) has been advanced to explain the complex and interwoven pathways of androgens in the attenuation of the inflammatory processes.

PubMed and EMBASE searches were performed, including the following key words: "testosterone", "androgens", "inflammatory cytokines", "inflammatory biomarkers" with focus on clinical studies as well as basic scientific studies in human and animal models.

Significant benefits of testosterone therapy in ameliorating or attenuating the symptoms of several chronic inflammatory diseases were reported. Because anti(-)tumor necrosis factor therapy is the mainstay for the treatment of moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease; including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and because testosterone therapy in hypogonadal men with chronic inflammatory conditions reduce tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, and IL-6, we suggest that testosterone therapy attenuates the inflammatory process and reduces the burden of disease by mechanisms inhibiting inflammatory cytokine expression and function.

Mechanistically, androgens regulate the expression and function of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and CRP (C-reactive protein). Here, we suggest that testosterone regulates multiple and overlapping cellular and molecular pathways involving a host of immune cells and biochemical factors that converge to contribute to attenuation of the inflammatory process.

Traish A, Bolanos J, Nair S, Saad F, Morgentaler A. Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation? Appraising the Contemporary Evidence. Journal of clinical medicine 2018;7. Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation? Appraising the Contemporary Evidence

 

[Sparkyp]

[OA] Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation?

The role of testosterone in the pathophysiology of inflammation is of critical clinical importance; however, no universal mechanism(s) has been advanced to explain the complex and interwoven pathways of androgens in the attenuation of the inflammatory processes.

PubMed and EMBASE searches were performed, including the following key words: "testosterone", "androgens", "inflammatory cytokines", "inflammatory biomarkers" with focus on clinical studies as well as basic scientific studies in human and animal models.

Significant benefits of testosterone therapy in ameliorating or attenuating the symptoms of several chronic inflammatory diseases were reported. Because anti(-)tumor necrosis factor therapy is the mainstay for the treatment of moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease; including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and because testosterone therapy in hypogonadal men with chronic inflammatory conditions reduce tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, and IL-6, we suggest that testosterone therapy attenuates the inflammatory process and reduces the burden of disease by mechanisms inhibiting inflammatory cytokine expression and function.

Mechanistically, androgens regulate the expression and function of inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and CRP (C-reactive protein). Here, we suggest that testosterone regulates multiple and overlapping cellular and molecular pathways involving a host of immune cells and biochemical factors that converge to contribute to attenuation of the inflammatory process.

Traish A, Bolanos J, Nair S, Saad F, Morgentaler A. Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation? Appraising the Contemporary Evidence. Journal of clinical medicine 2018;7. Do Androgens Modulate the Pathophysiological Pathways of Inflammation? Appraising the Contemporary Evidence

Thanks for this article @Michael Scally MD
I have AI issues and although these studies are relatively new, the positive results answer some questions for me like “should I be on trt with AI?”
I guess time will tell. I’m off trt now and will need to decide if I should go back on once this pericarditis passes

 

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Testosterone

Low plasma testosterone (T) levels correlated with metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, and increased mortality risk. T exerts a significant effect on the regulation of adipose tissue accumulation, and in the glucose and lipids metabolism. Adipocytes are the primary source of the most important adipokines responsible for inflammation and chronic diseases.

This review aims to analyze the possible effect of T on the regulation of the proinflammatory cytokines secretion. A systematic literature search on MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane using the combination of the following keywords: “testosterone” with “inflammation,” “cytokines,” “adiponectin, CRP, IL-1B, IL-6, TNFα, leptin” was conducted. Sixteen articles related to the effect of low T level and 18 to the effect of T therapy on proinflammatory cytokine were found.

T exerts a significant inhibitory effect on adipose tissue formation and the expression of various adipocytokines, such as leptin, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1, and is positively correlated with adiponectin level, whereas a low T level is correlated with increased expression of markers of inflammation.

Further studies are necessary to investigate the role of T, integrated with weight loss and physical activity, on its action on the mechanisms of production and regulation of proinflammatory cytokines.

Bianchi VE. The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Testosterone. Journal of the Endocrine Society 2019;3:91-107. Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Testosterone