elifesciences.org/articles/...
The gist is that castrated males outlive both sexes. I would say this seems possible to me. Actually castration is the removal of testicles, but the effect of that is reduced testosterone. So ADT is similar to castration in that way, reduction of testosterone. It implies (to me) that males given ADT may outlive non-castrated males and females. Essentially the aging is delayed, due to less T. At least this looks like a benefit.
Presumably the "benefit" would be for early castration. I doubt that a healthy man of my age would get much extra time from the surgery. In fact, men of my age have experienced relentless testosterone decline over the past 40 years, and many are now hypogonadal - (more so for men with PCa.)
If a sheep study helps a man decide to have an orchiectomy, I'm all for it. Men in this group who have had the procedure seem very happy with it (or rather, without them.) No more Lupron shots, etc., & masked visits to the doctor's office. I'm interested, but there is no way that I will elect to spend even 5 minutes in a hospital right now.
-Patrick
I'm talking about ADT.
Alas, statistics show otherwise. But for advanced PCa, ADT is better than no treatment at all.
Across species, the most reliable and reproducible way to increase longevity (from what I have read) is through reduction of energy intake, or caloric restriction.
One theory is that it signals scarcity and so the organism is triggered towards survival mode, to better increase its odds of furthering the species, while an over-abundance of calories signals the potential for species over-population tells the organism its okay to die sooner rather than later and make room for new generations.
I'm not sure what being castrated signals to the individual organism so far as evolution and survival of the species is concerned, but even if it does allow you to grow older it also sure seems capable of making you FEEL older, sooner.
My worry about being castrate is that if it extends my survival, perhaps too much of that extra time above ground will be spent just taking up space in front of a TV because I have lost much of the energy and motivation to be doing something else. (Guess how bad that is partly depends on who I'm watching TV with, and whether things on TV are still funny and entertaining to me.)
Eunuchs were documented to live longer in a study of Korean eunuchs:
cell.com/current-biology/fu...
Some have theorized that there are other detrimental effects of testosterone (e.g., arterial plaques) or other unknown substances in the testes that are suppressed by ADT:
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...
Richard Wassersug has written about the benefits, historical and contemporary, of androgen deprivation.
I'll accept the risk and hang on to mine, thank you....
It’s a true double edged sword. The ADT ages you, yet I don’t doubt its ‘protective’ qualities.
ADT sent every one of my numbers in the wrong direction to some degree, despite my efforts with diet and exercise.
QOL belongs to testosterone of course. Yet the long game is clear: Caloric restriction, not exactly popular here in America, is non negotiable at some point. Tough when aging. Tougher still on ADT.
However, in the same way that a lot of us learn how to make the best of it with long term ADT, so it is the same with diet.
I’m off ADT now, but the belly fat I gained on it, even if supposedly minimal, surprised me. I’m an athlete! But the ADT wore me down just enough I admit.
My workouts have never been a problem; eating like a younger man, no matter how healthily, has. I’ve doubled down on the food and am seeing good results.
It was very unpleasant at first- but I’ve adapted.
Most of us would prefer testosterone I’m sure…until we have to make the lemonade out of lemons with the ADT so to speak. Then it can be a true silver lining…I guess.
Live longer to be sure you die from aPca , not with it..
Means it, that the benefit of delayed aging isn't possible, if i take some testo-gel daily?
I'm very happy and satisfied with my castrated state now. My wife too. Couldn't it be, that the mental aspect of the newborn Eunuch plays a big role too?
New guidelines to prevent skeletal events in metastatic prostate cancer
MRI prior to HDR Brachy and HDR intensity.
