Un estudio valora el comportamiento sexual masculino

Title: The Relationships between Sex Hormones and Sexual Function in Middle-Aged and Older European Men.

Abstract: Limited data are available exploring the associations between sex hormones, multiple domains of sexual functioning, and sexual function-related distress in nonpatient samples in Europe.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and sexual function in a multicenter population-based study of aging in men.

Design: Using stratified random sampling, 2838 men aged 40-79 yr completed the European Male Ageing Study-Sexual Function Questionnaire and provided a blood sample for hormone measurements. T, E2, and DHT were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Setting: We conducted a community-based population survey in eight European centers.

Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported sexual function (overall sexual function, sexual function-related distress, erectile dysfunction, masturbation) was measured.

Results: Total and free T, but not E2 or DHT, was associated with overall sexual function in middle-aged and older men. E2 was the only hormone associated with sexual function-related distress such that higher levels were related to greater distress. Free T levels were associated with masturbation frequency and erectile dysfunction in the fully adjusted models, such that higher T was associated with less dysfunction and greater frequency. Moreover, there was a T threshold for the relationship between total T, sexual function, and erectile dysfunction. At T concentrations of 8 nmol/liter or less, T was associated with worse sexual functioning, whereas at T levels over 8 nmol/liter, the relationship came to a plateau.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that different hormonal mechanisms may regulate sexual functioning (T) vs. the psychological aspects (E2) of male sexual behavior. Moreover, there was a T threshold for overall sexual function such that at levels greater than 8 nmol/liter the relationship between T and sexual function did not become stronger.

Author(s): O'Connor, DB (O'Connor, Daryl B.)1; Lee, DM (Lee, David M.)2; Corona, G (Corona, Giovanni)3; Forti, G (Forti, Gianni)3; Tajar, A (Tajar, Abdelouahid)2; O'Neill, TW (O'Neill, Terence W.)2; Pendleton, N (Pendleton, Neil)4; Bartfai, G (Bartfai, Gyorgy)5; Boonen, S (Boonen, Steven)6,7; Casanueva, FF (Casanueva, Felipe F.)8; Finn, JD (Finn, Joseph D.)9; Giwercman, A (Giwercman, Aleksander)10; Han, TS (Han, Thang S.)11; Huhtaniemi, IT (Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T.)12; Kula, K (Kula, Krzysztof)13; Labrie, F (Labrie, Fernand)14; Lean, MEJ (Lean, Michael E. J.)15; Punab, M (Punab, Margus)16; Silman, AJ (Silman, Alan J.)2; Vanderschueren, D (Vanderschueren, Dirk)17; Wu, FCW (Wu, Frederick C. W.)9 Group Author(s): European Male Ageing Study Grp

Addresses:

1. Univ Leeds, Inst Psychol Sci, Leeds LS2 9JT, W Yorkshire, England

2. Univ Manchester, Arthrit Res UK Epidemiol Unit, Manchester M13 9PL, Lancs, England

3. Univ Florence, Dept Clin Physiopathol, Androl Unit, I-50121 Florence, Italy

4. Univ Manchester, Hope Hosp, Sch Community Based Med, Salford M6 8, Lancs, England

5. Albert Szent Gyorgyi Med Univ, Dept Obstet Gynaecol & Androl, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary

6. Katholieke Univ Leuven, Dept Expt Med, Div Gerontol & Geriatr, B-3000 Louvain, Belgium

7. Katholieke Univ Leuven, Dept Expt Med, Ctr Musculoskeletal Res, B-3000 Louvain, Belgium

8. Univ Santiago de Compostela, Complejo Hosp Univ Santiago, Inst Salud Carlos III, Dept Med,CIBER Fisiopatol Obesidad & Nutr CB06 03, Santiago De Compostela 15705, Spain

9. Univ Manchester, Manchester Royal Infirm, Dev & Regenerat Biomed Res Grp, Androl Res Unit, Manchester M13 9PL, Lancs, England

10. Lund Univ, Malmo Univ Hosp, Reprod Med Ctr, S-22100 Lund, Sweden

11. Royal Free Hosp, Royal Free & Univ Coll Hosp Med Sch, Dept Endocrinol, London NW3 2QG, England

12. Univ London Imperial Coll Sci Technol & Med, Dept Reprod Biol, London SW7, England

13. Med Univ Lodz, Dept Androl & Reprod Endocrinol, PL-90419 Lodz, Poland

14. Univ Laval, Lab Mol Endocrinol & Oncol, Quebec City, PQ G1V 0A6, Canada

15. Univ Glasgow, Dept Human Nutr, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Lanark, Scotland

16. Tartu Univ Clin, United Labs, Androl Unit, EE-50406 Tartu, Estonia

17. Katholieke Univ Leuven, Dept Androl & Endocrinol, B-3000 Louvain, Belgium