Table 1.
Characteristics of randomized controlled trials on the effects of AAS administration on aggression in healthy persons
| 1st author year | Country | Design | Sample type | N (D/E) | Age range (M±SD) |
Groups | AAS | AAS dose | AAS mode | Study duration | Aggression measure | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson 1992 | UK | Single-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 31 | 21–41 |
1: Baseline (n = 31) 1.2: TE (n = 16) 1.3: PL/TE (n = 15) |
TE |
1: Baseline 1.2: TE–200 mg TE–1× × 8wks 1.3: PL/TE–PL 1× × 4wks ffd by 200 mg TE 1× × 4wks |
Injection | 16wks | Daily ratings (irritable, ready to fight, easily angered) | No dose effect (ps > .05) |
| Björkqvist 1994 | Finland | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 27 (3) | 21–31 (23.9±) |
1: TU (n = 9) pc 2: PL (n = 9) pc 3: Control (n = 9) pc |
TU (Panteston®) | 40 mg × 1× | Oral | ≈4.3wks | VAS (SEMC) (irritability, anger) | PL > TU, and control (ps < .02) |
| Carré 2017 | Canada | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 114 (7) | 18–35 (25.27±4.98) |
1: TG (n = 57) 2: PL (n = 57) |
TG (AndroGel®) | 150 mg (pc) × 1× | Transdermal (gel) | 1× | PSAP |
TG vs PL: No dose effect (p = .11) BSC × (TG vs PL): dose effects (ps < .02) |
| Cueva 2017 | UK | Double-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 38 | 22.4±2.97 |
1: Baseline (n = 20) 1.2: TE (n = 20) 1.3: PL/TE (n = 18) |
T (Testogel™) | 100 mg 3× × 3d pc | Transdermal (gel) | 3 days | VAS (aggression) | No dose effect (p = .06) |
| Dreher 2016 | Ireland | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 40 | 18–30 (21.25±2.97) |
1: TU (n = 21) pc 2: PL (n = 19) pc |
TE | 250 mg | Injection | 1× | POMS (anger) | No dose effect (p = .43) |
| O’Connor 2002 | UK | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 30 | 19–45 (28.2±) |
1: TE wks 0–4–8 (n = 15) 2: PL wks 0–4–8 (n = 15) |
TE | 200 mg 1×/wk × 8wks | Injection | 8wks |
POMS (anger-hostility) BPAQ APQ BDHI (irritability) BIS-11 |
No dose effect (ps > .05) |
| O’Connor 2004 | UK | Double-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 24 (4) | 22–44 (32.29±6.13) |
1: TU (n = 13) pc 2: PL (n = 11) pc |
TU | 1000 mg 1× | Injection | 28wks |
POMS (anger-hostility) BPAQ APQ BDHI (irritability) |
POMS (anger-hostility): TU wk2 > TU wk0 (p < .05) No other dose effect (ps > .05) |
| Panagiotidis 2017 | Germany | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 83 (7) | 18–35 |
1: TG (n = 42; age range 18–35, 24.45±3.78) 2: PL (n = 41; age range 18–31, 23.89±3.65) |
TG (Testim®) | 50 mg × 1× | Transdermal (gel) | 1× |
TPP ESR (anger) |
TPP × ESR: TG > PL (FAIL condition, p = .041); TG vs PL (GO condition, p = .72) TG × ESR: TFAIL > TGO (p < .001) |
| Pope 2000 | USA | Double-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 53 (T1: 3, T2: 6) | 25–49 |
1: TC (n = 23) 2: PL (30) |
TC |
1: 150 mg 1×/wk × 2wks 2: 300 mg 1×/wk × 2wks 3: 600 mg 1×/wk × 2 wks |
Injection | 25wks |
PSAP (n = 27) BPAQ |
PSAP: TC > PL (p = .03) BPAQ: No dose effect (p = .35) |
| Su 1993 | USA | Double-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 20 (3) | 18–42 (27.5±5.7) |
1: Baseline (n = 20) 2: MT 40 mg (n = 20) 3: MT 240 mg (n = 20) 4: Withdrawal (n = 20) |
MT |
2: 40 mg–3×/d × 3d 3: 240 mg–3×/d × 3d |
Oral | 2wks |
VAS (irritability, anger, violent feelings) SCL-90 (hostility) |
Irritability: MT 240 mg > Baseline (p < .05) No other dose effect (ps > .05) |
| Tricker 1996 | USA | Double-blind, PL-controlled | Healthy males | 40 (3) | 19–40 |
1: PL only (n = 10; age: 27±5) 2: TE only (n = 10; age: 26±6) 3: PL × ST 3×/wk (n = 9; age: 26±6) 4: TE × ST 3×/wk (n = 11; age: 30±7) |
TE | 600 mg 1×/wk × 10wks | Injection | 30wks | MAI | No dose effect: anger arousal, anger situations, hostile outlook, anger-in, anger-out (ps > .05) |
| Yates 1999 | USA | Double-blind, PL-controlled, crossover | Healthy males | 32 (11) | 21–40 |
1: PL (n = 32) 1.2: TC 100 (n = 10; age: 27.4±3.3) 1.3: TC 250 (n = 11; age: 27.5±5.5) 1.4: TC 500 (n = 11; age: 30.2±5.9) |
TC |
1.2: 100 mg 1×/wk × 14wks 1.3 250 mg 1×/wk × 14wks 1.4: 500 mg 1×/wk × 14wks |
Injection | 28wks | BDHI (assault) | No dose effect (p = .79) |
1×: 1 time. APQ, Aggressive Provocation Questionnaire; BDHI, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory; BPAQ, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire; BPAQ-P, Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire-Partner; BSC, Brief Self-Control Scale; D/E, dropouts or excluded; ESR, Emotional Self-Ratings; MAI, Multi-Dimensional Anger Inventory; MT, methyltestosterone; OMI, Observer Mood Inventory; pc, Personal communication; PL, Placebo; POMS, Profile of Mood States; PSAP, Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm; SCL-90, Symptom Checklist 90; SEMC, Self-Estimated Mood Checklist; ST, strength training; T, testosterone; TC, testosterone cypionate; TE, testosterone enanthate; TG, testosterone gel; TU, testosterone undecanoate; TPP, Technical Provocation Paradigm; VAS, visual analogue scale