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Testosterone and Alzheimer's In the right form, testosterone may provide protection against Alzheimer's disease. The hormone circulates in the body either bound to albumin or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) or in the unbound or "free" form. As a man ages, his SHBG level rises but his levels of free and total testosterone fall. One way to describe changes is with the free androgen index (FAI), the ratio of total testosterone to SHBG. In a study that tracked the health of a group of men for several years, the National Institute on Aging's Susan M. Resnick and colleagues found that men whose FAI is lower than average are more likely to develop Alzheimer's [Neurology, 62, 188 (2004)]. The researchers found no correlation between total testosterone or SHBG levels and the likelihood of getting the disease. In a study of lean older men, an Italian team led by the University of Cagliari's Gian B. Melis also found that those with Alzheimer's disease have a lower than average FAI [Neurology, 62, 301 (2004)]. Total testosterone was similar in men with and without the disease. Unlike the Americans, the Italians found higher SHBG levels in the Alzheimer's patients. |
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