Circulating Estrogen Levels and Self-Reported Health and Mobility Limitation in Community-Dwelling Men of the Framingham Heart Study

Abstract

Background: Self-rated health is a commonly used global indicator of health status. Few studies have examined the association of self-rated health and mobility with estrone and estradiol in men. Accordingly, we determined the cross-sectional, incident, and mediating relations between circulating estrone and estradiol levels with self-rated health, mobility limitation, and physical performance in community-dwelling men. Methods:The cross-sectional sample included 1,148 men, who attended Framingham Offspring Study Examinations 7 and 8. Estrone and estradiol levels were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry at Examination 7. Self-reported mobility limitation and self-rated health were assessed at Examinations 7 and 8. Additionally, short physical performance battery, usual walking speed, and grip strength were assessed at Examination 7. Results: In incident analysis, estradiol levels at Examination 7 were associated with increased odds of fair or poor self-rated health at Examination 8, after adjusting for age, body mass index, comorbidities, and testosterone levels; in an individual with 50% greater estradiol than other, the odds of reporting "fair or poor" self-rated health increased by 1.78 (95% confidence interval: 1.25-2.55; p = .001). Neither estrone nor estradiol levels were associated with any physical performance measure at baseline. Conclusions: Higher circulating levels of estradiol are associated with increased risk of incident fair/poor self-rated health in communitydwelling men. The mechanisms by which circulating levels of estradiol are related to self-rated health in men need further investigation.

Self-Rated Health and Semen Quality in Men Undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology

“…Primates exposed to acute and chronic social stresses have been found to alter the reproductive axis and give rise to suppression of the secretion of reproductive hormones, leading to lower semen quality . As mentioned previously, epidemiological studies have found associations between SRH and altered circulating reproductive hormones …”

“…The cross-sectional data showed that poorer SRH was associated with lower levels of serum testosterone, estrone, and calculated free testosterone, but longitudinal data only indicated a positive association between SRH and estrone . On the contrary, poor SRH was observed to be associated with higher serum estradiol levels in community-dwelling men aged 30 to 89 years from the Framingham Heart Study . A cross-sectional study of 466 elderly men in Finland reported null associations between SRH and sex hormones such as estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone after adjusting for age and BMI, but a positive association was observed with testosterone and free testosterone after adjusting for age.…”

“… 25 On the contrary, poor SRH was observed to be associated with higher serum estradiol levels in community-dwelling men aged 30 to 89 years from the Framingham Heart Study. 26 A cross-sectional study of 466 elderly men in Finland 24 reported null associations between SRH and sex hormones such as estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone after adjusting for age and BMI, but a positive association was observed with testosterone and free testosterone after adjusting for age. Male reproductive hormone levels play an essential role in maintaining normal spermatogenesis.…”

“…However, only limited studies have investigated the association of SRH with male reproductive health. Several studies have presented the associations between SRH and altered reproductive hormones in middle-aged and older men . Nevertheless, only 1 study of which we are aware has investigated the association between SRH and semen quality in young men .…”

“…Several studies have presented the associations between SRH and altered reproductive hormones in middle-aged and older men. 24 , 25 , 26 Nevertheless, only 1 study of which we are aware has investigated the association between SRH and semen quality in young men. 27 This study only relied on single semen measurement, which may bias the estimated associations due to within-individual variability in semen quality parameters.…”