Are Testosterone Supplements Safe?
Thursday August 23, 2007
"Male Menopause" and "Andropause" are becoming trendy terms to describe the gradual decrease in testosterone levels as men age. So called "Longevity Doctors" are increasingly prescribing testosterone supplement for men. Patients claim the supplements make them feel and look better - but do they really increase longevity and are they safe?
No one knows for sure. Testosterone can be implicated in high blood pressure and other heart diseases, though some doctors say that a decline in testosterone can trigger these conditions while others say that supplementing testosterone has the same risk.
To settle the question, researchers gave male rats testosterone supplements. The rats had an increase in blood pressure and developed more protein in the urine. These could indicate risks for testosterone supplementation.
The bottom line? Unless you have a true testosterone deficiency (not just a reduction due to aging), you should avoid testosterone supplements until further research has been done.
More on Testosterone and Aging
No one knows for sure. Testosterone can be implicated in high blood pressure and other heart diseases, though some doctors say that a decline in testosterone can trigger these conditions while others say that supplementing testosterone has the same risk.
To settle the question, researchers gave male rats testosterone supplements. The rats had an increase in blood pressure and developed more protein in the urine. These could indicate risks for testosterone supplementation.
The bottom line? Unless you have a true testosterone deficiency (not just a reduction due to aging), you should avoid testosterone supplements until further research has been done.
More on Testosterone and Aging
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