Testosterone Induces Erythrocytosis via Increased Erythropoietin and Suppressed Hepcidin: Evidence for a New Erythropoietin/Hemoglobin Set Point

The mechanisms by which testosterone increases hemoglobin and hematocrit remain unclear.We assessed the hormonal and hematologic responses to testosterone administration in a clinical trial in which older men with mobility limitation were randomized to either placebo or testosterone gel daily for 6 months.The 7%-10% increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit, respectively, with testosterone administration was associated with significantly increased...