Testosterone and Heart Disease

Question: Is there a connection between low testosterone and heart disease?

Dr. Brownstein's Answer:

The benefits of replacement doses of testosterone are truly amazing and include improvement regarding osteoporosis, libido, and diabetes. But perhaps the most stunning evidence for the use of natural testosterone is in treating coronary artery disease — the No.1 killer in the United States.

Many millions of dollars are spent in this country treating heart disease with high-tech procedures like bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty, neither of which addresses the underlying problems. I believe one of the main components of coronary artery disease is a hormonal imbalance.

This hormonal imbalance often includes low testosterone production as well as hypothyroidism. I have yet to see a severe coronary artery disease patient who did not have a significantly depressed testosterone level. Nor have I seen a cardiologist check levels of testosterone in such a patient.

There are numerous studies linking atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease to low testosterone levels. A Danish physician found that 83 percent of patients saw their cholesterol levels fall significantly while taking testosterone. On average, cholesterol fell 74 percent after treatment.

Several studies document the association between low testosterone levels and high levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, both of which are thought to promote atherosclerosis.

Through the use of natural hormones, like natural testosterone, I have seen a lowering of cholesterol levels and an improvement in the symptoms of coronary artery disease.

I believe that anyone who suffers from coronary artery disease should have their testosterone level checked just as quickly as their cholesterol level. Many times coronary artery disease will improve when low testosterone levels are adequately treated.