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Do Statins Affect Androgen Levels in Men? Results from the Boston Area Community Health Survey

¹ New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Massachusetts and ² Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Requests for reprints: Susan A. Hall, New England Research Institutes, 9 Galen Street, Watertown, MA 02472. Phone: 617-923-7747; Fax: 617-924-0968. E-mail: shall{at}nerisicience.com

Background: In 2005, statins were among the most commonly used prescription medications in the United States. Some data suggest statins may affect cancer risk and/or disease severity. Because cholesterol is a required intermediate in sex steroid synthesis, it is possible that statins influence prostate cancer risk through effects on steroid hormone metabolism. We investigated whether levels of circulating androgens and their carrier protein, sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG), varied by statin exposure among a sample of 1,812 men from a population-based epidemiologic study, the Boston Area Community Health Survey.

Methods: We measured serum total testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, luteinizing hormone, and SHBG. Statin exposure was collected through participant self-report and/or interviewer-recorded information. Multivariate linear models were constructed to account for potential confounding.

Results: The prevalence of statin use was 12.4% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 10.3-14.9]. On average, statin users were older, had larger body mass index and more chronic illnesses, and used more medications. We found no relationship between statin use and free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, or luteinizing hormone. A significant association between statin use and total testosterone was initially observed but was not robust to covariate control in a multivariate model that included age, body mass index, time since awakening, and history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (–5.5%; 95% CI, –13.2 to 2.9%). In multivariate models adjusted similarly, SHBG levels among statin users were statistically significantly lower compared with nonusers (–10.6%; 95% CI, –18.8 to –1.6%).

Conclusion: In this sample, it is unlikely that statins affect circulating androgens and prostate cancer risk through a hormonal mechanism. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(8):1587–94)

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