Predictors of sex hormone levels among the elderly: A study in Greece

This study examines the relationship between a series of epidemiologic parameters (age, height, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol consumption, and coffee drinking) and serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Among 52 healthy, elderly Greek men, we observed that serum levels of DHEAS decreased with increasing age [19% decline per 5-year increase in age, 95% CI, -2.1(-)-33.5], obesity [48% decline for BMI >30 kg/m(2) compared to <27 kg/m(2), CI, -15.7(-)-68.7], and current smoking [37% decline compared to nonsmokers, CI, -9.5(-)-57.2]. Estradiol concentrations increased with increasing BMI [77.1% increase for BMI >30 kg/m(2) compared to <27 kg/m(2), CI, -12.0-256.3], alcohol drinking [66% increase for greater than or equal to 7 glasses/week compared to <7 glasses/week, Ci, 4.4-164.4], and coffee drinking [59% increase for greater than or equal to 14 cups/week compared to greater than or equal to 14 cups/ week, CI, -0.5-155.9], and decreased among current smokers [40% decline compared to nonsmokers, CI, -64.9-0.8]. SHBG was marginally positively associated with increasing age [13% increase per 5 years, CI, -0.5-29.6]. Testosterone was significantly related only to current smoking [27% decline compared to nonsmokers, CI, -45.4(-)-3.13. These findings suggest that several variables appear to be associated with sex steroid levels and the influence of these findings on the occurrence of hormone-related conditions warrants further exploration. . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.