Important note: Information in this article was accurate in May 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Researchers at Harvard University recently conducted a study to compare levels of testosterone among HIV-positive men who had HIV-related weight loss. The researchers also gave some subjects injections of testosterone to find out if supplements of this hormone had an impact on feelings of depression. The researchers found that men who had low levels of testosterone were more likely to be depressed than men who had normal levels of this hormone. Moreover, when the depressed men received regular injections of testosterone their mood significantly improved.
Researchers enrolled 52 HIV-positive men with AIDS-related weight loss. All had free testosterone levels - testosterone that is not bound to a specfic blood protein - that were below the lower end of normal, that is 12 picograms per millilitre (pg/ml). Their average lab values were as follows:
For purposes of comparison, researchers also enrolled10 HIV-positive males who had similar CD4+ counts and viral load but whose testosterone levels were in the normal range.
Although CD4+ counts, viral load, weight and age were similar between the two groups, the men who had low levels of testosterone were more likely to be depressed than men with normal levels of testosterone. The researchers also found that men with moderate-to-severe depression were more likely to have very low testosterone levels than men with less serious depression.
At the start of the study, about 50% of the low testosterone group were using antidepressants compared with 20% of the normal testosterone group. Yet this difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Antidepressant use did not change significantly during the study.
Levels of estrogen in the blood of all subjects were within the normal range and were not linked to weight loss or depression.
After assessing testosterone levels and their relationship to the mood of subjects, researchers randomly assigned 52 subjects to receive one of the following regimens for six months:
Researchers were able to publish results on 39 subjects who completed six months of the placebo-controlled study. They found that subjects who received testosterone had their feelings of depression improve. The mood of subjects who received placebo did not significantly change.
Researchers noticed that subjects who gained weight during the study were more likely to have their mood improve compared to those subjects who did not gain weight. This link between mood and weight gain was seen both in the group receiving testosterone and the group receiving placebo. Weight gain was, however, greatest in those subjects who received testosterone.
The results of this study suggest a link between depression and testosterone levels in men with AIDS-related weight loss. Moreover, this study demonstrates the benefit of regular testosterone shots on improving depression and weight. It follows that regular monitoring of free testosterone levels in HIV+ men may be a useful part of their health management.
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