Translational studies in older men using testosterone to treat sarcopenia

Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2014:125:27-42; discussion 42-4.

Abstract

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging. Our research group has found an efficacious administration paradigm using testosterone to combat sarcopenia in humans. In addition, our research has uncovered an important regulatory enzyme of inflammation, nuclear factor-κB-inducing kinase that may regulate human skeletal muscle catabolism, and that appears to be counter-regulated by administration of standard doses of testosterone. This is important because a number of age-related clinical circumstances trigger acute and chronic muscle loss including cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hospitalization, acute and chronic illness, and diseases in which systemic inflammation occurs. Moreover, it is often the treatment itself that can induce muscle loss. For example, glucocorticoids are tremendously effective at reducing inflammation and are a frontline therapy for many inflammatory-based diseases, yet paradoxically trigger muscle loss. We will discuss our research findings and the clinical significance of our human clinical translational research with testosterone.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aging / blood*
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Hormone Replacement Therapy* / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Skeletal / drug effects*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Sarcopenia / blood
  • Sarcopenia / diagnosis
  • Sarcopenia / drug therapy*
  • Sarcopenia / genetics
  • Sex Factors
  • Testosterone / adverse effects
  • Testosterone / analogs & derivatives
  • Testosterone / blood
  • Testosterone / deficiency
  • Testosterone / therapeutic use*
  • Texas
  • Translational Research, Biomedical
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids
  • Testosterone
  • testosterone enanthate
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases