Increased testosterone raises type 2 diabetes risk in women

• Using 2,571 genome-wide significant associations, the researchers demonstrate that the genetic determinants of testosterone levels are substantially different between sexes and that genetically higher testosterone is harmful for metabolic diseases in women but beneficial in men.
• A genetically determined 1 s.d. higher testosterone increases the risks of type 2 diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37) and polycystic ovary syndrome (OR = 1.51) in women, but reduces type 2 diabetes risk in men (OR = 0.86).
• Higher testosterone also had adverse effects on breast and endometrial cancers in women and prostate cancer in men.

"Our findings provide insights into the disease impacts of testosterone and highlight the importance of sex-specific genetic analyses" concluded the authors.

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The study, "Using human genetics to understand the disease impacts of testosterone in men and women," is published in the journal Nature Medicine.