Long-Term Care

Low testosterone levels in elderly men increase risk of falling

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, October 25, 2006

The risk of falling increases for elderly men with lower levels of testosterone, reported the Archives of Internal Medicine. While muscle weakness and muscle loss occur with age and increase the potential for a fall, the effect of lower levels of testosterone is separate from these occurrences. Oregon Health and Science University in Portland conducted the study of 2,587 men between the ages of 65 and 99 from 2000 to 2002. The study found that 56% of the men reported falling at least once, while many fell more often. Men with the lowest levels of testosterone had a 40% higher fall risk, according to the journal.

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