Testosterone, new secret of happiness

Melbourne, Mar 4: Next on the happiness list for men will be sex hormones, a new study suggests, saying the testosterone-fuelled people were less likely to be depressed in older age. The Australian research, which drew the strongest link between testosterone and mood, stated people with low testosterone were three times more likely to suffer depression than those with the highest levels.

Researcher Osvaldo Almeida said the science behind the link was not yet fully understood But it might be that low hormones somehow trigger changes in the levels of neurotransmitters or hormones in the brain. The study published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry supported testosterone replacement therapy in depressed older men.

Dr Alemida, however, said only the 20 per cent of men over 70 who have abnormally low testosterone, so-called hypogonadism, would likely benefit.

Testosterone replacement has been infamous for illegally boosting athletic performance, but an increasing number of older men are accessing the controversial treatment to build muscle mass and treat bone loss through osteoporosis.

UNI