According to a study done by American scientists, in adult men who have a high level of the sex hormone testosterone, the risk of cardiovascular diseases is higher than in their peers. Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco (USA) conducted a study in which 697 men over the age of 65 took part. During the four-year observation period, about 14% of the volunteers developed some type of cardiovascular disease (most commonly myocardial infarction). In addition, each of them had an increased level of the hormone testosterone in the blood. According to the authors of the study, men with blood levels of sex hormones above 495 ng/dl were twice as likely to have a heart attack as their peers with testosterone levels of 308 or less. ng/dl. The researchers point out that the hormone testosterone is often used to treat prostatitis, low libido, and other similar health problems that occur with age. “Many patients are unknowingly putting themselves at risk for cardiovascular problems when taking hormone therapy to treat some health problem. Our goal is to warn them about the possible side effects of such treatment. ” – says the author and head of the study Dr. Kristen Sueoka and explains that regular preventive examinations with a cardiologist, proper nutrition and physical activity are able to reduce cardiovascular risk. According to her, despite the need for additional research, the relationship between the increased level of testosterone and the risk of cardiovascular disease is fully proven. In the future, tests to determine the level of the sex hormone will be applied as a method for predicting cardiovascular risk in men in old age. The results of the scientific work are presented at the Annual Meeting of the Endocrinology Society, which is held in San Diego.