Endocrine milieu and erectile dysfunction: Is oestradiol-testosterone imbalance, a risk factor in the elderly?

Abstract

Oestrogens are not exclusive to the female gender but occur in moderate circulating levels of 25-70pgml 1 in men, compared to 44-153pgml 1 in women. Arising from aromatisation of testosterone (T), oestrogen is considered to have many opposing physiological functions and the progressive T decline in the aging male is associated with relative and/or absolute increase in serum oestradiol (E 2). Sexual disinterest and erectile dysfunction (ED) in the elderly may well be due to pathophysiological E 2 -T imbalance; the altered hormonal ratio may also explain the higher incidence of ED in hyperestrogenism or following exposure to environmental/plant oestrogens. © 2011 AJA, SIMM & SJTU. All rights reserved.