Effect of ageing on androgen levels in elderly males.

The past four decades have brought with it modern medical technology accompanied by better quality and longer life resulting in the increase in number of aged males in this locality. It has now been well established by various investigators that there is a statistically significant decline of the biologically available level of serum testosterone with ageing. This decline in androgen levels is more manifest in the free testosterone levels compared to the total serum testosterone levels which are routinely measured in the laboratory. Not withstanding this statistical decline the serum testosterone levels in the majority of aged men often fall within the normal range (300-1000 ng/dl) of eugonadal young males. This age related decline is usually associated with decline in sexual function in ageing men manifesting as erectile dysfunction. However, it has now been established beyond doubt that age itself rather than the androgen decline is the most influential variable of sexual activity in old men.