Testosterone may help men with multiple sclerosis

Reporting in the May issue of the journal Archives of Neurology, Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl, the director of UCLA’s Multiple Sclerosis Program, and her colleagues have found that the application of a testosterone gel for men with MS reduced symptoms, slowed brain degeneration and increased muscle mass in men with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, the most common form of the disease.

Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease involving the immune and central nervous systems. MS and many other autoimmune diseases (in which the body attacks its own systems or tissues) are less common in men than in women, said Voskuhl, at a ratio of about three women to one man. Voskuhl has long thought that sex hormones and/or sex chromosomes may be responsible for this enhanced susceptibility. And testosterone has been shown to protect against an MS-like condition in animals.

Voskuhl and Dr. Nancy L. Sicotte, an assistant professor of neurology, conducted a study of testosterone treatment in 10 men with relapsing-remitting MS, which is characterized by periods of neurologic symptoms, such as numbness or difficulty walking, followed by periods of remission. After enrollment in the study, the men, average age 46, entered a six-month pre-treatment phase, during which symptoms were monitored but no therapies were administered. After that, each man applied 10 grams of a gel containing 100 milligrams of testosterone to his upper arms once daily for 12 months.

"After a year we saw an improvement in cognitive performance and a slowing of brain deterioration,” said Voskuhl. During the first nine months of the study, the men’s symptoms were simply monitored, then followed by just three months of treatment, which still showed that the rate of brain deterioration slowed by 67 percent.

In addition, muscle mass increased an average of 1.7 kilograms, about 3.74 pounds, during the treatment phase. They were no reported adverse effects.

"The other optimistic thing about this study was that the protective effect of testosterone treatment on brain atrophy was observed in the absence of an appreciable anti-inflammatory effect,” said Voskuhl, “which suggests the protection the testosterone provided may not be limited to MS, but may be applicable to other non-inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.”

Four years ago Voskuhl conducted a pilot study in which 10 women with MS were given the female hormone estriol, which yielded what she described as “pretty remarkable” results — an 80 percent drop in inflammatory lesions in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. That led to a much larger trial now underway.

Her goal now is to expand this testosterone pilot study into a much larger clinical trial. "Overall, the use of the testosterone gel treatment in men with MS was shown to be safe and well tolerated," she said. "In addition, our exploratory findings suggest there’s a possible neuroprotective effect of testosterone treatment in men, which we feel warrants a larger study."

Source: University of California - Los Angeles

The dietary supplement genistein can undermine breast cancer treatment
Women taking aromatase inhibitors to treat breast cancer or prevent its recurrence should think twice before also taking a soy-based dietary supplement, researchers report.
Radiation added to hormone therapy increases survival for men with prostate cancer
For men with locally advanced prostate cancer the addition of radiation treatment to anti-androgen hormone therapy reduces the risk of dying of prostate cancer by 50 percent compared to those who have anti-androgen hormone treatment alone, according to a randomized study presented September 22, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.
Erectile dysfunction related to sleep apnea may persist, but is treatable
For sufferers of sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction (ED) is often part of the package. New research indicates that ED in cases of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) may be linked to the chronic intermittent hypoxia—oxygen deprivation— (CIH) that patients with OSAS experience during episodes of obstructed breathing.
Young type-2 diabetic men suffer low testosterone levels, study shows
Young men with type 2 diabetes have significantly low levels of testosterone, endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo have found -- a condition that could have a critical effect on their quality of life and on their ability to father children.
Hair on a man's head offers clues about prostate cancer
Some of the drugs given to many men during their fight against prostate cancer can actually spur some cancer cells to grow, researchers have found. The findings were published online this week in a pair of papers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Testosterone key to disease transmission
High levels of testosterone may be a key factor in spreading disease among mice, according to biologists. The findings could help explain why males in a population are often more likely to get infected, and transmit disease.
Prostate cancer patients undergoing hormone therapy may experience cognitive effects
A recent review of the literature has found that hormone deprivation therapy, a commonly used treatment for prostate cancer, may have subtle adverse effects on cognition in patients-- such as in the ability to recall and concentrate. Published in the September 1, 2008 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that clinicians and patients should be aware of these potential effects and watch closely for their appearance.
Zebrafish enable scientists to study the migration of neurons that enable sexual maturity
Scientists are watching a small group of neurons that enable sexual maturity and fertility make a critical journey: from where they form, near the developing nose, to deep inside the brain.

Testosterone may help men with multiple sclerosis

Related stories:

News discussion: