Elevated serum testosterone associated with reduced blood pressure parameters: Study

China: Increased levels of serum testosterone provide protection against hypertension in males, suggests a recent study in the journal Atherosclerosis. However, in obese men, this protective effect of serum testosterone on blood pressure parameters and hypertension is hampered. 

Zhenxing Mao, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China, and colleagues aimed to evaluate the effects of serum testosterone, obesity, and their interaction on blood pressure (BP) parameters and hypertension among Chinese rural adults.

For this purpose, the researchers recruited a total of 6199 adults from the Henan Rural Cohort Study. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used for measuring serum testosterone. The association between testosterone, hypertension, and BP parameters (including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were evaluated using logistic regression and linear regression. A generalized linear model was performed to identify the interactive effects of testosterone and obesity on hypertension. 

"Our findings show that elevated levels of serum testosterone were associated with decreased BP parameters and prevalent hypertension in males, and obesity modifying effects of serum testosterone on BP parameters and hypertension,"  concluded the authors.

Reference:

The study titled, "Interaction between testosterone and obesity on hypertension: A population-based cross-sectional study," is published in the journal Atherosclerosis.

DOI: https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(21)01191-6/fulltext