Testosterone protects the lungs from asthma

Women are more likely to suffer from asthma, testosterone may be the reason

Women generally have a higher risk of developing asthma than men. Researchers now found at least one reason for this increased risk of asthma. It is the so-called sex hormone testosterone. According to a recent study, testosterone protects the lungs from asthma.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville found that testosterone protects our lungs from asthma. This seems to be one of the reasons why women usually get more common with asthma. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Cell Reports".

Women are more likely to suffer from asthma than men during adulthood. Researchers found that the hormone testosterone could be a reason for this increased susceptibility of women. (Image: WavebreakmediaMicro / fotolia.com)

What causes testosterone?

Testosterone leads to increased body hair and increased aggressiveness, at least this is said to the hormone. The hormone occurs in both sexes, however, the mode of action and the concentration differ. Latest research has now shown that testosterone also has effects on the lungs. More specifically, testosterone can protect the lungs from diseases caused by asthma.

Women are twice as likely to develop asthma

Women are more likely to develop asthma. According to various studies, women are twice as likely to develop asthma as men. The reason seems to be the sex hormone testosterone. Because in humans and mice could be found that testosterone affects the immune cells in the lungs. These are involved in the development of asthma.

What is asthma?

In people with asthma, the bronchi are particularly sensitive to certain stimuli, such as allergens. The resulting overreaction then leads to chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract and causes respiratory distress. In Germany, about ten percent of all children suffer from asthma. In addition, approximately five percent of adults are still affected by lung disease. According to the National Care Guideline Asthma, childhood asthma is even the most common chronic illness.

In childhood, boys are more likely to develop asthma

Actually, it is still so in childhood, that boys are more likely to develop asthma than girls. But from the time of puberty, the tide turns. Men seem to be better protected from the disease of the lung from this point on. To better understand this effect, physicians studied different women and men with or without asthma.

Asthma sufferers have elevated levels of ILC cells

In all examined persons with asthma an increased number of certain lymphoid cells could be detected. These are referred to as ILC2 and are already known from previous studies. Analyzes of blood samples showed that the number of these special cells was higher in asthmatic women than in affected men. The ILC cells play an important role in diseases such as allergies or asthma. They produce so-called cytokines. These are proteins that can trigger inflammation and increase the production of mucus in the lungs. That's why it's more difficult for people to breathe.

Testosterone resulted in lower production of cytokines

The US experts investigated in their study if male hormones affect the number of ILC cells. They added testosterone to the ILC cells from the lungs of mice. As a result, the cells proliferated less and, in addition, fewer cytokines were produced, according to a recent press release from Vanderbilt University.

There are many mechanisms that can trigger an inflammatory respiratory tract reaction

In various other experiments, the influence of testosterone could be confirmed. For example, castrated mice were examined, which only produce very little testosterone. Through the use of certain mold fungi, the physicians were able to trigger various immune reactions in both male and female animals. The testosterone was able to block certain signaling pathways involved in the development of asthma. The influence of sex hormones is just one of many mechanisms that can cause respiratory tract inflammation, explain the authors of the study. (As)