Why testosterone makes more red blood cells even without a key regulator
Hepcidin is not essential for mediating testosterone's effects on erythropoiesis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Testosterone suppressed hepcidin even in mice with no liver androgen receptors.
Scientists assumed testosterone lowered hepcidin by binding to liver receptors — but this study shows hepcidin drops even when that pathway is destroyed, suggesting red blood cell production itself signals the liver to reduce hepcidin.
Practical Takeaways
If you're on testosterone therapy, get your hematocrit checked every 3 months — even if your iron and hepcidin levels look normal.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Testosterone suppressed hepcidin even in mice with no liver androgen receptors.
Scientists assumed testosterone lowered hepcidin by binding to liver receptors — but this study shows hepcidin drops even when that pathway is destroyed, suggesting red blood cell production itself signals the liver to reduce hepcidin.
Practical Takeaways
If you're on testosterone therapy, get your hematocrit checked every 3 months — even if your iron and hepcidin levels look normal.
Publication
Journal
Andrology
Year
2020
Authors
W. Guo, P. Schmidt, M. Fleming, S. Bhasin
Related Content
Claims (6)
Giving someone testosterone can make their body produce more red blood cells, which thickens the blood; if the blood gets too thick, it might increase the chance of dangerous blood clots.
Giving testosterone to mice makes more iron show up in their blood, even in mice that can't make a key iron-regulating hormone—so testosterone must be doing something else to free up iron.
Giving testosterone to mice makes their developing red blood cells contain more hemoglobin, even in mice that can't make a key iron-regulating hormone — meaning testosterone helps use iron to make blood better, no matter what.
Giving testosterone to female mice makes their blood carry more oxygen by increasing certain blood cells, even when a key regulatory protein called hepcidin is missing or when the liver can't respond to testosterone—meaning testosterone might boost blood cell production on its own.
When female mice can't make a protein called hepcidin, they end up with too much iron in their blood and body, and their red blood cell numbers go up — this suggests hepcidin normally keeps iron levels in check.