Kristy Levey
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Testosterone has been shown to influence immune function in both males and females. Research tells us that testosterone can have suppressive and stimulatory effects on the immune system, depending on the context. Testosterone has been found to have immunomodulatory effects, meaning it can influence the functioning of the immune system. In males, testosterone levels are typically much higher than in females.
Future studies will focus on the differential impacts of testosterone and other steroid hormones on cytokine response to additional mitogen types and using a wider age range and across sexes, to better understand the role of such hormones in modulating immune function. In general, we found no association between masculinization markers and either innate or adaptive immune responses, even when controlling for a participant's age, BMI, free-testosterone levels, smoking status or sport activity. We found evidence that the effects of T on women’s immune response depended on their cycle phase and degree of sexual activity. The present study investigated the effects of naturally varying T on several measures of immunity in healthy, premenopausal women who were sexually active or abstinent. Given the impact of endocrine responses in the effect of sexual activity on immune response, there will likely be differences in these effects among women who do and do not use HCs.
Endogenous testosterone is present in the blood samples used for stimulation, and may act directly on leukocytes at the time of stimulation. Other studies using exercise to naturalistically manipulate testosterone do not find the same associations between testosterone and IL-10 (Benini et al. 2015). Previous studies report positive associations between androgens and anti-inflammatory cytokines (Liva and Voskuhl 2001; Malkin et al. 2004). However, T-cells are 2–3 times more common in the blood, and for this reason alone may require more overall resources (Bisset et al. 2004; Blackwell et al. 2016). While the developmental costs of producing B-cells and immunoglobulins can be high, the maintenance and activation costs are relatively low, as are the collateral costs in terms of tissue damage when activated (McDade et al. 2016).
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Future studies will focus on the differential impacts of testosterone and other steroid hormones on cytokine response to additional mitogen types and using a wider age range and across sexes, to better understand the role of such hormones in modulating immune function. In general, we found no association between masculinization markers and either innate or adaptive immune responses, even when controlling for a participant's age, BMI, free-testosterone levels, smoking status or sport activity. We found evidence that the effects of T on women’s immune response depended on their cycle phase and degree of sexual activity. The present study investigated the effects of naturally varying T on several measures of immunity in healthy, premenopausal women who were sexually active or abstinent. Given the impact of endocrine responses in the effect of sexual activity on immune response, there will likely be differences in these effects among women who do and do not use HCs.
Endogenous testosterone is present in the blood samples used for stimulation, and may act directly on leukocytes at the time of stimulation. Other studies using exercise to naturalistically manipulate testosterone do not find the same associations between testosterone and IL-10 (Benini et al. 2015). Previous studies report positive associations between androgens and anti-inflammatory cytokines (Liva and Voskuhl 2001; Malkin et al. 2004). However, T-cells are 2–3 times more common in the blood, and for this reason alone may require more overall resources (Bisset et al. 2004; Blackwell et al. 2016). While the developmental costs of producing B-cells and immunoglobulins can be high, the maintenance and activation costs are relatively low, as are the collateral costs in terms of tissue damage when activated (McDade et al. 2016).
Check your uric acid level with a simple blood test. Evaluate your luteinizing hormone level with an LH blood test. Empower your health with quick, confidential hepatitis C testing Detect allergies to 12 common molds with a simple blood test. Monitor fasting blood sugar to assess risk for prediabetes or other metabolic conditions.
