Increased Incidence of Diagnosed Depressive Illness in HypogonadalOlder Men

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Abstract
Age-associated testosterone deficiency is a common condition in oldermen, occurring in 30% after the age of 55.1 Totaltestosterone levels peak in early adulthood, and then decrease by approximately1% per year after the age of 40.2 Age-associatedhypogonadism reflects a decline in hypothalamic and testicular function. Inaddition, severe illness, malnutrition, and drugs (such as corticosteroidsand alcohol) may also decrease testosterone levels.3-5 Althoughthere is no uniformly accepted threshold level for testosterone in older men,experts in geriatric andrology suggest that most men with age-associated hypogonadismhave total testosterone levels between 150 and 350 ng/dL (5.20-12.14 nmol/L).4,6

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