Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study

Ross J Marriott; Kevin Murray; Charley A Budgeon; Veryan Codd; Jennie Hui; Gillian M Arscott; John P Beilby; Graeme J Hankey; Gary A Wittert; Frederick C W Wu; Bu B Yeap

doi:10.1093/ejendo/lvad015

Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study

Ross J Marriott, Kevin Murray, Charley A Budgeon, Veryan Codd, Jennie Hui, Gillian M Arscott, John P Beilby, Graeme J Hankey, Gary A Wittert, Frederick C W Wu, Bu B Yeap

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Older men on average have lower testosterone concentrations compared with younger men, and more age-related comorbidities. Whether lower testosterone concentrations contribute to biological ageing remains unclear. Shorter telomeres are a marker for biological age. We tested the hypothesis that testosterone concentrations are associated with leucocyte telomere length (LTL), in middle to older aged men.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank study, involving community-dwelling men aged 40-69 years. METHODS: Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed. Free testosterone was calculated (cFT). LTL was measured using Polymerase Chain Reaction. Multivariable models were used to assess associations of hormones with standardised LTL.

RESULTS: In 167,706 men, median age 58 years, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical factors total testosterone was inversely associated with standardised LTL, which was 0.09 longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.10, P
CONCLUSIONS: Total testosterone and SHBG were independently and inversely associated with LTL. Men with higher testosterone or SHBG had shorter telomeres, arguing against a role for testosterone to slow biological ageing in men.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Journal	European Journal of Endocrinology
Volume	188
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvad015
Publication status	Published - 14 Feb 2023

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Marriott, R. J., Murray, K., Budgeon, C. A., Codd, V., Hui, J., Arscott, G. M., Beilby, J. P., Hankey, G. J., Wittert, G. A., Wu, F. C. W., & Yeap, B. B. (2023). Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study. European Journal of Endocrinology, 188(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvad015

@article{cdaf692fa4954c7d8905c7f36f89a7b8,

title = "Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: Older men on average have lower testosterone concentrations compared with younger men, and more age-related comorbidities. Whether lower testosterone concentrations contribute to biological ageing remains unclear. Shorter telomeres are a marker for biological age. We tested the hypothesis that testosterone concentrations are associated with leucocyte telomere length (LTL), in middle to older aged men. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank study, involving community-dwelling men aged 40-69 years. METHODS: Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed. Free testosterone was calculated (cFT). LTL was measured using Polymerase Chain Reaction. Multivariable models were used to assess associations of hormones with standardised LTL.RESULTS: In 167,706 men, median age 58 years, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical factors total testosterone was inversely associated with standardised LTL, which was 0.09 longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.10, P CONCLUSIONS: Total testosterone and SHBG were independently and inversely associated with LTL. Men with higher testosterone or SHBG had shorter telomeres, arguing against a role for testosterone to slow biological ageing in men.",

keywords = "leucocyte telomere length, male ageing, sex hormone-binding globulin, testosterone",

author = "Marriott, {Ross J} and Kevin Murray and Budgeon, {Charley A} and Veryan Codd and Jennie Hui and Arscott, {Gillian M} and Beilby, {John P} and Hankey, {Graeme J} and Wittert, {Gary A} and Wu, {Frederick C W} and Yeap, {Bu B}",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1093/ejendo/lvad015",

language = "English",

volume = "188",

pages = "1--12",

journal = "European Journal of Endocrinology",

issn = "0804-4643",

publisher = "BioScientifica Ltd",

number = "2",

}

Marriott, RJ , Murray, K , Budgeon, CA, Codd, V, Hui, J, Arscott, GM, Beilby, JP , Hankey, GJ, Wittert, GA, Wu, FCW & Yeap, BB 2023, 'Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study', European Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 188, no. 2, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvad015

Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study. / Marriott, Ross J ; Murray, Kevin ; Budgeon, Charley A et al.
In: European Journal of Endocrinology, Vol. 188, No. 2, 14.02.2023, p. 1-12.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men

T2 - a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study

AU - Marriott, Ross J

AU - Murray, Kevin

AU - Budgeon, Charley A

AU - Codd, Veryan

AU - Hui, Jennie

AU - Arscott, Gillian M

AU - Beilby, John P

AU - Hankey, Graeme J

AU - Wittert, Gary A

AU - Wu, Frederick C W

AU - Yeap, Bu B

PY - 2023/2/14

Y1 - 2023/2/14

N2 - OBJECTIVE: Older men on average have lower testosterone concentrations compared with younger men, and more age-related comorbidities. Whether lower testosterone concentrations contribute to biological ageing remains unclear. Shorter telomeres are a marker for biological age. We tested the hypothesis that testosterone concentrations are associated with leucocyte telomere length (LTL), in middle to older aged men. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank study, involving community-dwelling men aged 40-69 years. METHODS: Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed. Free testosterone was calculated (cFT). LTL was measured using Polymerase Chain Reaction. Multivariable models were used to assess associations of hormones with standardised LTL.RESULTS: In 167,706 men, median age 58 years, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical factors total testosterone was inversely associated with standardised LTL, which was 0.09 longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.10, P CONCLUSIONS: Total testosterone and SHBG were independently and inversely associated with LTL. Men with higher testosterone or SHBG had shorter telomeres, arguing against a role for testosterone to slow biological ageing in men.

AB - OBJECTIVE: Older men on average have lower testosterone concentrations compared with younger men, and more age-related comorbidities. Whether lower testosterone concentrations contribute to biological ageing remains unclear. Shorter telomeres are a marker for biological age. We tested the hypothesis that testosterone concentrations are associated with leucocyte telomere length (LTL), in middle to older aged men. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank study, involving community-dwelling men aged 40-69 years. METHODS: Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed. Free testosterone was calculated (cFT). LTL was measured using Polymerase Chain Reaction. Multivariable models were used to assess associations of hormones with standardised LTL.RESULTS: In 167,706 men, median age 58 years, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle and medical factors total testosterone was inversely associated with standardised LTL, which was 0.09 longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.10, P CONCLUSIONS: Total testosterone and SHBG were independently and inversely associated with LTL. Men with higher testosterone or SHBG had shorter telomeres, arguing against a role for testosterone to slow biological ageing in men.

KW - leucocyte telomere length

KW - male ageing

KW - sex hormone-binding globulin

KW - testosterone

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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/83c60e65-cde9-33d9-9a22-35097d9a130f/

U2 - 10.1093/ejendo/lvad015

DO - 10.1093/ejendo/lvad015

M3 - Article

C2 - 36751991

SN - 0804-4643

VL - 188

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - European Journal of Endocrinology

JF - European Journal of Endocrinology

IS - 2

ER -

Serum testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin are inversely associated with leucocyte telomere length in men: a cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank Study

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