Neuroendocrine aging in men - Andropause and somatopause

Testosterone and growth hormone (GH) rise markedly at puberty and contribut e to maturational changes in body composition and muscle strength. Both tro pic hormones plateau in adult life, and then, because of a combination of c entral and testicular changes, decline progressively with aging, accompanie d by loss of muscle and strength and an increase in body fat that resembles partial hypogonadism or GH deficiency. These parallels have led to specula tion and then to clinical studies to test whether supplementing testosteron e, GH, or the two together could reverse these age-related changes, boost s trength and physical function, and prolong the capacity for independent liv ing. Studies conducted so far encourage this possibility, especially for an drogens in men with very low testosterone levels, but published reports are too limited to recommend the general clinical use of androgens, GH, or GH secretagogues in most healthy older men.