Low and high testosterone both linked to irregular heartbeat

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA review of existing research links both low and high testosterone in men to atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, ScienceAlert reports.

2. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorBoth. So there's no side to be on. You can't even pick a direction to worry in.

3. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe co-author, Rajat Barua, says too little and too much appear to raise the risk through separate biological mechanisms, so the dose and the target level matter.

4. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorIn a study of four thousand five hundred seventy older men, the highest two groups had roughly twice the risk of the middle group.

5. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo the middle is best.

6. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorRoughly three hundred fifty to five hundred fifty nanograms per deciliter.

7. 

   Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThat range comes from existing data. Nobody has tested it. Nobody has even visited.

8. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorAnd the authors say it's a narrative summary, not a meta-analysis, so the conclusions are interpretive.

9. 

   Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorIn the big trial, with five thousand two hundred forty-six men, it was three point five percent on testosterone gel versus two point four on the dummy gel.

10. 

    Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA hundred and six trials found no significant increase once you set one aside. So, one trial. Carrying the lot.

11. 

    Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo the safe zone is a guess, and the guess has a unit.