A study conducted by an international team of scientists led by Professor Po Yiba from the University of Western Australia has shown that low testosterone levels in men may be linked to an increased risk of developing and dying from cancer.
According to The Lancet Healthy Longevity, scientists conducted a meta-analysis of data from 11 studies that assessed cancer mortality rates among 26,000 men, as well as five studies involving more than 10,000 men that examined cancer risk.
They found that men with low total blood testosterone levels were more likely to die from cancer than participants with levels in the upper range. The threshold value was 8.6 nmol/L. At a testosterone level of 8.2 nmol/L, the risk of dying from cancer was 18 percent higher.
Additionally, testosterone levels below 7.3 nmol/L were associated with an increased risk of cancer. However, the researchers found no link between the hormone level and the likelihood of developing prostate cancer.
The researchers then focused their attention on other hormonal markers, finding that low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. A similar relationship was observed for luteinizing hormone (LH). They also discovered that significantly low levels of estradiol—a hormone produced by the ovaries—below 35 picomoles/day, are associated with an increased risk of cancer-related death.
The researchers emphasize that these findings do not establish a direct causal link between hormone levels and cancer development. Further studies are needed to confirm these results, particularly regarding the role of sex hormone-binding globulin and luteinizing hormone.
