Anxiety and testosterone levels in men — is there a pathogenetic association?

I.A. Tyuzikov¹, E.A. Grekov²

¹Tandem-Plus LLC, Yaroslavl

²Hormone Life LLC, Moscow

Testosterone is the most important sex steroid hormone for men’s health, having a wide range of physiological effects in the male body. Information on the sexual, reproductive and metabolic effects of testosterone in men is widely presented in modern scientific literature. However, its role in the development of psychoemotional disorders, in particular, anxiety states in men, is still insufficiently studied. Anxiety states are among the most commonly diagnosed psychopathological conditions in men which have a great medical and social significance. Based on the results of available studies, the article examines the physiological role and possible mechanisms of the testosterone participation and its active metabolites in the psychoemotional disorder pathogenesis in men, primarily anxiety states. Given the example of congenital and acquired low testosterone in men (male hypogonadism), its association with anxiety states is shown, as well as the anxiolytic efficacy of testosterone replacement therapy in male hypogonadism is evaluated. It is concluded that there is an inverse association between male hypogonadism and anxiety states, which should be taken into account when conducting therapeutic and diagnostic measures in men.

Keywords: mood, anxiety, depression, testosterone, low testosterone in men; male hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy.

For citation: Tyuzikov I.A., Grekov E.A. Anxiety and testosterone levels in men — is there a pathogenetic association? RMJ. 2024;5:7–11.