A recent study suggests that low testosterone levels in could be linked with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. This autoimmune disease, which affects men and women, could affect those with low levels of the hormone in their blood, compared to those with healthy levels of testosterone. Researchers are unaware why this is connected but have evidence through studies which date back to 2004. Scientists said that the blood samples collected from 1004 men who developed the disease, as well as 174 of those who did not, provided surprising results. The time which elapsed between donating the sample and the rheumatoid arthritis being diagnosed varied from one to 28 years.
The condition affects millions of people across the world and can be debilitating if the case is severe. Scientists found that the rheumatoid arthritis status, an antibody which is used to diagnose the severity of the disease, was known for 73 percent of the men at diagnosis stage which was found to be negative. Although there are other factors which are linked with the risk of rheumatoid disease, researchers found that the lower the level of testosterone, the higher the chance was of the individual developing the disease. There was also a significantly lower level of the hormone in those who tested negative, as well.
Through the study, researchers noted that men who had low levels of testosterone in their blood also had a high level of follicle stimulating hormones, which is a chemical used to develop sexual maturity and reproduction, before the diagnosis of the disease. This study supports previous evidence which suggests that testosterone reduces the responses from the immune system for inflammation. Other evidence has been gathered which links rheumatoid arthritis which an early remission stage in men compared to women.
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