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continued:

Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality?

Can testosterone therapy promote youth and vitality?

Testosterone therapy can help reverse the effects of hypogonadism, but it's unclear whether testosterone therapy would have any benefit for older men who are otherwise healthy. Although some men believe that taking testosterone medications may help them feel younger and more vigorous as they age, few rigorous studies have examined testosterone therapy in men who have healthy testosterone levels — and some small studies have revealed mixed results. For example, in one study healthy men who took testosterone medications increased muscle mass but didn't gain strength.

What are the risks of testosterone therapy for normal aging?

Testosterone therapy has various risks. For example, testosterone therapy may:

  • Contribute to sleep apnea — a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts
  • Cause your body to make too many red blood cells (polycythemia), which can increase the risk of heart disease
  • Cause acne or other skin reactions
  • Stimulate noncancerous growth of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and possibly stimulate growth of existing prostate cancer
  • Enlarge breasts
  • Limit sperm production or cause testicle shrinkage

Should you talk to your doctor about testosterone therapy?

If you wonder whether testosterone therapy might be right for you, work with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits. A medical condition that leads to an unusual decline in testosterone may be a reason to take supplemental testosterone. However, treating normal aging with testosterone therapy remains controversial.

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References
  1. Tostain JL, et al. Testosterone deficiency: A common, unrecognized syndrome. Nature Clinical Practice Urology. 2008;5:388.
  2. Amore M, et al. Partial androgen deficiency, depression and testosterone treatment in aging men. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 2009;21:1.
  3. Baum NH, et al. Testosterone replacement in elderly men. Geriatrics. 2007;62:15.
  4. Emmelot-Vonk MH, et al. Effect of testosterone supplementation on functional mobility, cognition, and other parameters in older men: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;299:39.
  5. Perheentupa A, et al. Aging of the human ovary and testis. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 2009;299:2.
  6. Harman SM. Endocrine changes with aging. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 18, 2009.
  7. Snyder PJ. Decline in testicular function with aging. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 18, 2009.
MC00030 April 10, 2010

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