The Double Edge Sword of Testosterone's Role in the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
; 12: 607179, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1167313
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is a complex disease with a multifaceted set of disturbances involving several mechanisms of health and disease in the human body. Sex hormones, estrogen, and testosterone, seem to play a major role in its pathogenesis, development, spread, severity, and mortalities. Examination of factors such as age, gender, ethnic background, genetic prevalence, and existing co-morbidities, may disclose the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection, morbidity, and mortality, paving the way for COVID-19 amelioration and substantial flattening of the infection curve. In this mini-review, we focus on the role of testosterone through a discussion of the intricate mechanisms of disease development and deterioration. Accumulated evidence suggests that there are links between high level (normal male level) as well as low level (age-related hypogonadism) testosterone in disease progression and expansion, supporting its role as a double-edged sword. Unresolved questions point to the essential need for further targeted studies to substantiate these contrasting mechanisms.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Testosterone
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Fendo.2021.607179
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