The Pros and Cons of Testosterone Therapy

Long Story Short

Testosterone is a man’s best friend. But a new study into older men has found that there can be health risks when you top up your T-levels with medically prescribed (or bought) testosterone.

Long Story

It helps you build muscle, provides the oomph in your sex drive and quite literally puts hairs on your chest. So it's little wonder that men look to increase their testosterone levels, especially as they age. Having low testosterone can deflate your libido and leave you more susceptible to fractures. Unfortunately, the hormone begins to decline in your 30s.

A series of seven US trials have looked at the risks and benefits of taking hormone therapy, but the results are mixed.

RELATED: Men In Long-Term Relationships Have Lower Testosterone

Researchers recruited 788 men aged 65 and over, who had low levels of testosterone. They gave half of them a testosterone gel, and the other half a placebo gel. After 12 months, they found that the testosterone group had better bone density and a reduced risk of developing anaemia.

But it wasn’t all good news. They also found a build-up of plaque in the arteries – and say that more research is needed to see if the treatment causes a higher risk of heart problems. Although the number of heart-related events, such as heart attacks, were similar between the two groups of men.

The round-up of five studies, published in the Journal of American Medicine and JAMA Internal Medicine, also didn’t support the theory that testosterone hormone therapy can improve memory function.

Low testosterone has been linked with everything from erectile disorder to prostate cancer to general fatigue, but most experts recommend seeking a doctor's advice before you supplement – especially if you don't have low T to begin with.