Did you know that testosterone is the most important sex hormone for men? It impacts multiple areas of health – including sex drive, energy, bone and muscle health, fertility and more. Below, we answer some commonly asked questions concerning testosterone and various treatment methods.
How does testosterone deficiency happen?
A decline in testosterone is a natural part of aging for most men – so it’s normal to witness minor side effects from a decline in this important hormone. [Click to Tweet] When decreased testosterone does not occur as a normal part of aging, it can be caused by a number of health conditions and disorders.
How does testosterone deficiency affect a man’s health?
Natural decline in testosterone typically has minor effects on a man’s health. Such side effects include a drop in sex drive, low sperm count, fatigue, moodiness and more.
What are the safety concerns associated with testosterone replacement therapy?
Not only have several studies linked testosterone replacement treatments to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death, some experts say testosterone treatments are marketed to fix a problem that’s not necessarily a problem needing fixed. [Click to Tweet] For example, testosterone marketing may tell a man that if he feels tired, testosterone replacement therapy can give him more energy. But is testosterone replacement therapy really the answer to that so-called “problem”?
Some medical professionals say no.
“Because of the marketing, men have been flooded with information about the potential benefit of fixing low testosterone, but not with the potential costs,” says Dr. Carl Pallais, an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in a Harvard Health article. [Click to Tweet] “Men should be much more mindful of the possible long-term complications.”
Those long term complications include the following:
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Congestive heart failure
- Stroke
- Death
The dangers of testosterone treatments are becoming more well-known, especially as more study results align with the above findings. Men who have taken testosterone treatments and were injured may be eligible to file for compensation.
