Male Menopause

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that low testosterone levels in men may be linked to a shorter lifespan. This comprehensive meta-analysis, which evaluated data from over 24,000 participants across 11 studies, is among the most definitive research efforts to date on this topic.

The findings indicate that men with low total testosterone levels face a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality. Specifically, testosterone concentrations below 5.3 nmol/L (or <153 ng/dL) were associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular-related death. Furthermore, the relationship between dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels and mortality appears to be nonlinear. Both low DHT levels (below 0.59 nmol/L) and high levels (above 2.45 nmol/L) were linked to an increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

For years, the prevailing narrative has been that declining testosterone—often referred to as "male menopause"—is a natural part of aging, and that hormone replacement posed more risks than benefits. However, emerging evidence like this challenges that belief, opening the door to a reexamination of testosterone optimization as a key component of men’s long-term health and longevity.