Testosterone therapy may have benefits, but risks too

Testosterone treatment can boost bone density and reduce anemia in older men with low levels of the hormone, but it might also open the door to future heart risks, a new set of trials suggests.
The findings come in the last four studies to be reported out of the Testosterone Trials, a set of seven overlapping federally funded year-long clinical trials conducted at 12 sites across the United States.
All told, the Testosterone Trials seem to indicate that the best use of testosterone therapy is for treatment of decreased sexual function in men with so-called "low T" (low testosterone levels), said Dr. Thomas Gill. He is a Yale University professor of geriatrics who ran one of the clinical trial sites.
But the trials also found that men receiving testosterone treatment experienced a significantly greater increase in arterial plaque than men not taking the hormone, Gill noted. That could raise their future risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease.
"Even if it were used for sexual function, for which the evidence is strongest, I think you'd have to consider the potential for some adverse long-term consequences on cardiovascular disease," Gill said.
The use of testosterone-replacement therapy has nearly doubled in recent years, from 1.3 million patients in 2009 to 2.3 million in 2013, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This boom prompted an Institute of Medicine panel to urge new clinical trials investigating the usefulness and potential harm of testosterone treatment. In response, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) funded the Testosterone Trials. The Testosterone Trials involved 790 men aged 65 and older with low levels of testosterone caused by aging, as well as symptoms that could be related to low T such as sexual problems, fatigue, muscle weakness, or impaired memory and thinking. The first three sets of clinical trial findings came out a year ago, and focused on the three most-touted potential benefits of testosterone therapy: improvement of sexual ability; vitality; and physical function. Those first reports revealed that testosterone could improve a man's sexual desire and function, but wouldn't do much to improve their overall vitality or physical function.
 HealthDay

 

Testosterone therapy may have benefits, but risks too

Testosterone treatment can boost bone density and reduce anemia in older men with low levels of the hormone, but it might also open the door to future heart risks, a new set of trials suggests. The findings come in the last four studies to be reported out of the Testosterone Trials, a set of seven overlapping federally funded year-long clinical trials conducted at 12 sites across the United States. All told, the Testosterone Trials seem to indicate that the best use of testosterone therapy is for treatment of decreased sexual function in men with so-called low T (low testosterone levels), said Dr. Thomas Gill. He is a Yale University professor of geriatrics who ran one of the clinical trial sites. But the trials also found that men receiving testosterone treatment experienced a significantly greater increase in arterial plaque than men not taking the hormone, Gill noted. That could raise their future risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease. Even if it were used for sexual function, for which the evidence is strongest, I think youd have to consider the potential for some adverse long-term consequences on cardiovascular disease, Gill said. The use of testosterone-replacement therapy has nearly doubled in recent years, from 1.3 million patients in 2009 to 2.3 million in 2013, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This boom prompted an Institute of Medicine panel to urge new clinical trials investigating the usefulness and potential harm of testosterone treatment. In response, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA) funded the Testosterone Trials. The Testosterone Trials involved 790 men aged 65 and older with low levels of testosterone caused by aging, as well as symptoms that could be related to low T such as sexual problems, fatigue, muscle weakness, or impaired memory and thinking. The first three sets of clinical trial findings came out a year ago, and focused on the three most-touted potential benefits of testosterone therapy: improvement of sexual ability; vitality; and physical function. Those first reports revealed that testosterone could improve a mans sexual desire and function, but wouldnt do much to improve their overall vitality or physical function. HealthDay