Associations Between Testosterone Levels in Men at Age 31 and Quality of Life, Self-Reported Health, and Morbidity at Age 46: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966

OBJECTIVE: We investigated self-reported health status, comorbidity, and quality of life (QoL) in men at age 46 across testosterone (T) quartiles at age 31 and evaluated whether differences existed between these quartiles. DESIGN: and methods: The study population was a population-based cohort comprising men born in Northern Finland in 1966. T concentrations were measured at age 31 (n=2691) and categorized into quartiles: Q1<17.2 nmol/L (n=660), Q2=17.2-20.99 nmol/L (n=681), Q3=21.0-25.49 nmol/L (n=664), Q4≥25.5 nmol/L (n=686). The 15D questionnaire and other health and medical condition surveys were administered at age 46. RESULTS: Men in Q1 were more obese, less likely to smoke, and consumed less alcohol compared to men in Q4 (p<0.001 for all). Most men reported average, good, or excellent health, and no significant differences were observed between the T quartiles. Men in Q1 also had a lower prevalence of substance use disorders (p=0.01), were less depressed (p=0.03), and were less sexually active (p=0.03), but exhibited a higher prevalence of metabolic (p<0.001) and gastrointestinal diseases (p=0.004) than men in Q4. After adjusting for waist circumference, there were no significant differences in sexual activity, metabolic, or gastrointestinal diseases. Overall QoL was excellent across study groups and was slightly better in Q1 than in Q4 in adjusted models (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: The overall QoL was excellent across all T quartiles. In this study population, T levels in adulthood seem not to be associated with notable differences in self-reported health, comorbidity, or quality of life in middle age, especially when adjusted for WC.