Tips and information on treating with testosterone therapy

1. 4/4/2014 Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality? - Mayo Clinic
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Healthy Lifestyle
Sexual health
The possibilities of testosterone therapy are enticing — increase your muscle mass, sharpen
your memory and concentration, boost your libido, and improve your energy level. As you get
older, testosterone therapy may sound like the ultimate anti-aging formula. Yet the health
benefits of testosterone therapy for age-related decline in testosterone aren't as clear as they
may seem. Find out what's known — and not known — about testosterone therapy for normal
aging.
Testosterone is a hormone produced primarily in the testicles. Testosterone helps maintain
men's:
Bone density
Fat distribution
Muscle strength and mass
Red blood cell production
Sex drive
Sperm production
Hypogonadism is a disease in which the body is unable to produce normal amounts of
testosterone due to a problem with the testicles or with the pituitary gland that controls the
testicles. Testosterone replacement therapy can improve the signs and symptoms of low
testosterone in these men. Doctors may prescribe testosterone as injections, pellets, patches
or gels.
Testosterone peaks during adolescence and early adulthood. As you get older, your
Considering testosterone therapy to help you feel younger and more vigorous as you
age? Know the risks before you make your decision.
By Mayo Clinic Staff

2. 4/4/2014 Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality? - Mayo Clinic
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testosterone level gradually declines — typically about 1 percent a year after age 30. It is
important to determine in older men if a low testosterone level is simply due to the decline of
normal aging or if it is due to a disease (hypogonadism).
Not necessarily. Men can experience many signs and symptoms as they age. Some may
occur as a result of lower testosterone levels and can include:
Changes in sexual function. This may include reduced sexual desire, fewer
spontaneous erections — such as during sleep — and infertility.
Changes in sleep patterns. Sometimes low testosterone causes insomnia or other
sleep disturbances.
Physical changes. Various physical changes are possible, including increased body fat,
reduced muscle bulk and strength, and decreased bone density. Swollen or tender
breasts (gynecomastia) and body hair loss are possible. You may experience hot flashes
and have less energy than you used to.
Emotional changes. Low testosterone may contribute to a decrease in motivation or self-
confidence. You may feel sad or depressed, or have trouble concentrating or
remembering things.
It's important to note that some of these signs and symptoms are a normal part of aging.
Others can be caused by various underlying factors, including medication side effects,
thyroid problems, depression and excessive alcohol use. A blood test is the only way to
diagnose a low testosterone level.
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.
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
Increase your risk of a heart attack
Cause acne or other skin reactions
Stimulate noncancerous growth of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and growth
of existing prostate cancer
Enlarge breasts

3. 4/4/2014 Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality? - Mayo Clinic
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Limit sperm production or cause testicle shrinkage
If you wonder whether testosterone therapy might be right for you, talk with your doctor about
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 is not currently advisable.
Apr. 01, 2014
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728
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. Bassil N, et al. Late-life onset hypogonaddism: A review. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine. 2010;26:197.
6. Harman SM. Endocrine changes with aging. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 19,
2012.
7. Snyder PJ. Decline in testicular function with aging. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan.
19, 2012.
8. Traish AM, et al. Testosterone deficiency. The American Journal of Medicine. 2011;124:578.
9. Finkle WD, et al. Increased risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction following testosterone therapy prescription in
men. PLOS One. 2014;9:1.
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