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Modification Effects of Changes in Job Demands on Associations Between Changes in Testosterone Levels and Andropause Symptoms: 2-Year Follow-up Study in Male Middle-Aged Japanese Workers

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to ascertain if changes in job demands modify associations between changes in testosterone levels and andropause symptoms in male Japanese workers.

Method

A baseline survey including job demands and the Aging Males’ Symptoms scale, lifestyle factors, and blood levels of testosterone was conducted in 2007. Among 192 men (mean age ± SD 52.2 ± 7.6 years) who completed all relevant questionnaires and provided blood at baseline, 104 men (50.9 ± 7.2 years) were followed up in 2009. Changes of variables in 2 years were calculated (data of follow-up minus those of baseline).

Results

Testosterone levels were increased significantly, whereas job demands and somatic symptoms were reduced significantly, at follow-up. Changes in testosterone levels were negatively associated with changes in total andropause symptoms, psychological symptoms, and sexual symptoms (standardized β = −0.27, −0.24, and, −0.29, p < 0.05, respectively), after adjustment for confounders. Changes in job demands were positively associated with changes in somatic symptoms (standardized β = 0.21, p < 0.05). Significant interactions of changes in testosterone levels and job demands were noted for changes in psychological symptoms (standardized β = 0.26, p < 0.05). For men with a 1-SD reduction in job demands, negative associations between changes in testosterone levels and psychological symptoms were intensified, but not for men with a 1-SD increase in job demands.

Conclusion

Andropause symptoms may be affected by changes in testosterone levels and job demands. Change in job demands may modify associations between changes in testosterone levels and andropause symptoms.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (Grant No. 21700681).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, Baika Women’s University, 2-19-5 Shukunosho, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-8578, Japan

    Kumi Hirokawa

  2. Department of Welfare System and Health Science, Okayama Prefectural University, 111 Kuboki, Soja City, Okayama, 719-1197, Japan

    Toshiyo Taniguchi & Yasuhito Fujii

  3. Department of Public Health, Sanyo Gakuen University Graduate School of Nursing, 1-14-1 Hirai, Naka-ku, Okayama, 703-8501, Japan

    Jiro Takaki

  4. Department of Public Health, Kitasato University School of Medicine, 1-15-1 Kitasato, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0374, Japan

    Akizumi Tsutsumi

Authors
  1. Kumi Hirokawa
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  2. Toshiyo Taniguchi
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  3. Yasuhito Fujii
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  4. Jiro Takaki
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  5. Akizumi Tsutsumi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kumi Hirokawa.

Ethics declarations

Informed Consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all participants for being included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Appendix

Appendix

Figure 2

Fig. 2
figure 2

Scatter plots illustrating associations between changes in testosterone and andropause symptoms by group of changes in job demands. Footnote: Change in job demands was categorized as reduced (n = 60) and not-reduced (n = 44)

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Hirokawa, K., Taniguchi, T., Fujii, Y. et al. Modification Effects of Changes in Job Demands on Associations Between Changes in Testosterone Levels and Andropause Symptoms: 2-Year Follow-up Study in Male Middle-Aged Japanese Workers. Int.J. Behav. Med. 23, 464–472 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-015-9530-y

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