Sleep, testosterone and cortisol balance, and ageing men
Peter Y Liu1,2, Radha T Reddy3
1Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Harbor UCLA Medical Center and The Lundquist Institute, 1124 W Carson St., Box 446, Torrance, CA, 90502, USA. pliu@lundquist.org.
Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
|September 24, 2022
Summary
Disordered sleep negatively impacts health and aging by disrupting hormone balance. Novel therapies can mitigate metabolic harm from sleep loss without requiring more sleep.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Health
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Sleep is vital for health and longevity, influencing endocrine and metabolic systems.
- Sleep debt, circadian misalignment, and sleep apnea are prevalent, impacting aging and age-related diseases.
- Disordered sleep leads to hormonal imbalances, affecting anabolic-catabolic signaling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of sleep loss on testosterone and cortisol levels.
- To explore methods for mitigating the metabolic harm caused by sleep restriction.
- To examine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and testosterone levels.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of epidemiological and interventional studies on sleep, hormones, and metabolic health.
- Utilizing a dual-hormone clamp to fix testosterone-cortisol balance.
- Reviewing studies on obstructive sleep apnea and continuous positive airway pressure therapy effects.
Main Results:
- Sleep loss is associated with lower testosterone and higher afternoon cortisol, disrupting hormonal balance.
- A dual-hormone clamp mitigated insulin resistance induced by sleep restriction.
- Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to lower testosterone, and CPAP therapy may influence levels.
Conclusions:
- Hormonal imbalances from sleep disruption contribute to metabolic harm and aging.
- Therapeutic interventions can ameliorate sleep loss consequences without increasing sleep duration.
- Further research is needed on diurnal testosterone rhythms, circadian misalignment, and mitigation strategies.
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