More Testosterone Testing Needed
Many men use pharmaceutical testosterone to help with lowered sex drive, loss of energy and other symptoms associated with entering middle age. An expert says a large-scale clinical trial is needed to determine whether these supplements are indeed safe
As men enter middle age, they often experience decreased sex drive, diminished energy, memory problems and other signs of physical and mental change. A growing number of men are turning to hormone replacement therapy, in the form of testosterone supplements, to help with these problems. Dr. Dan Blazer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at DukeUniversityMedicalCenter, says men should be aware of potential risks. "There are no large studies that have looked at the health risks. There is some suggestion that testosterone therapy may lead to an increase in prostatic hypertrophy and in the level of the hormone that is tested in looking at the possibility of prostate cancer, prostatic-specific antigen or PSA." Blazer was part of a medical group that recommended a large-scale clinical trial to study the safety and effectiveness of testosterone therapy. "We feel like we're at a very early stage of understanding what the therapeutic benefit of the testosterone might be, and we're also at a very early stage in understanding what the potentially harmful side effects may be." I'm Cabell Smith for MedMinute.