Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Benefits of testosterone treatment unknown, research shows

Benefits of testosterone treatment unknown, research shows

January 10, 2007

ROCHESTER, Minn. - Little research exists demonstrating that testosterone is both safe from the cardiovascular standpoint and effective to treat sexual dysfunction, reveal Mayo Clinic researchers in two new studies.

In articles published in the January issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic physicians call for large studies to help clinicians and patients make informed decisions about when testosterone should be prescribed.




"One of the initial surprises is how limited the research evidence is regarding whether testosterone is an effective treatment for sexual dysfunction while being safe from the cardiovascular disease standpoint," says Victor M. Montori, M.D., MSc, lead researcher for Mayo Clinic's Knowledge and Encounter Research Unit, and an author of the two studies in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "There is no way for physicians to be certain when prescribing testosterone that, on average, it's doing more good than harm."

Both studies involved review and meta-analysis of randomized trials to assess the effect of testosterone on sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular events. Authors determined that no strong evidence exists showing testosterone doesn't cause cardiovascular harm and results regarding its impact on sexual dysfunction are inconsistent.

In 2004, the Endocrine Society established a task force to generate evidence-based guidelines about the use of testosterone in treating men. Dr. Montori says Mayo researchers joined the effort in order to help the Endocrine Society provide recommendations based on up-to-date research.

"We found that the evidence for whether men are better off being treated with testosterone is much weaker than the evidence for giving estrogen to post-menopausal women was before the big estrogen trials came out," Dr. Montori says.

Despite the weak evidence supporting testosterone's efficacy, drug companies have successfully driven its sale, Dr. Montori says. Currently, physicians may be prescribing testosterone to otherwise healthy men who report poor quality of life, limited sex drive and fatigue and may have somewhat low testosterone levels.

These clinicians and their patients will be "thoroughly shocked" to discover the limited evidence supporting the drug's effectiveness in treating sexual dysfunction and the limited data supporting its cardiovascular safety, Dr. Montori says. "Researchers should conduct trials measuring the outcomes of testosterone treatment that are important to patients in order to avoid repeating the estrogen disaster," he says.

Mayo Clinic



Related Testosterone Current Events and Testosterone News Articles Testosterone Current Events and Testosterone News RSS Testosterone Current Events and Testosterone News RSS
Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.

Pilot study relates phthalate exposure to less-masculine play by boys
A study of 145 preschool children reports, for the first time, that when the concentrations of two common phthalates in mothers' prenatal urine are elevated their sons are less likely to play with male-typical toys and games, such as trucks and play fighting.

Hormone that affects finger length key to social behavior
The hormones, called androgens, are important in the development of masculine characteristics such as aggression and strength.

Postmenopausal women with higher testosterone levels
Postmenopausal women who have higher testosterone levels may be at greater risk of heart disease, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome compared to women with lower testosterone levels.

Fetal study highlights impact of stress on male fertility
Exposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could affect a man's fertility in later life, a study suggests.

Studies examine how living conditions impact reproductive health
When costs outweigh benefits, successful pregnancies are less likely to occur. Life is all about tradeoffs and recently published research by Virginia J. Vitzthum, a senior scientist at Indiana University's Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, and professor in the IU College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Anthropology, has shown that during periods of intense labor and low food intake, rates of early pregnancy loss can more than double.

BUSM researchers propose a relationship between androgen deficiency and cardiovascular disease
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) in collaboration with researchers from Lahey Clinic Northshore, Peabody, Mass., believe that androgen deficiency might be the underlying cause for a variety of common clinical conditions, including diabetes, erectile dysfunction, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Prostate cancer patients on hormone therapy at increased risk for various heart diseases
New research has found that hormone therapy used to treat men with advanced prostate cancer is associated with an increased chance of developing various heart problems. Some choices of therapy appear, however, to be less risky than others.

Obesity increases risk of prostate cancer recurrence for both blacks and whites
A new look at a large database of prostate cancer patients shows that obesity plays no favorites when it comes to increasing the risk of recurrence after surgery: Being way overweight is equally bad for blacks and whites, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

Life and death in the living brain
Like clockwork, brain regions in many songbird species expand and shrink seasonally in response to hormones. Now, for the first time, University of Washington neurobiologists have interrupted this natural "annual remodeling" of the brain and have shown that there is a direct link between the death of old neurons and their replacement by newly born ones in a living vertebrate.
More Testosterone Current Events and Testosterone News Articles
ISA-TEST-Isatori Advanced Testosterone Formula, 104 Capsules

ISA-TEST-Isatori Advanced Testosterone Formula, 104 Capsules
by Isatori

Help maximize free testosterone levels. Reduce estrogen levels to optimize body composition. Increase muscle mass, strength, and sexual drive. (These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.)

AXIS-HT-BSN Testosterone Formula, 120 CAPSULES

AXIS-HT-BSN Testosterone Formula, 120 CAPSULES
by BSN

Axis-HT users report: * Improved libido/sexual performance * Increased aggression/motivation during exercise or athletic competition * Increased strength and overall physical performance * Improved well-being

Tribulus Raw Power , 200 pills, 200,000 mg. High Potency, concentrated, Tribulus Terrestris muscle volumizer, male enhancement

Tribulus Raw Power , 200 pills, 200,000 mg. High Potency, concentrated, Tribulus Terrestris muscle volumizer, male enhancement
by Life Smart Labs, Inc

Tribulus Raw Power TM is an all natural product that is extracted from the plant Tribulus Terrestris L. It is a natural herbal product that is non-hormonal and is effective in the natural stimulation of testosterone and LH levels by stimulating the bodys natural production process. It is widely used by both professional and recreational athletes to increase muscle mass, body strength, and torn muscle tissue repair that occurs after exercise. Tribulus Raw Power TM has only recently been offered to the USA but was widely used under its other proprietary name in Europe, Bulgaria, China, and Russia. Tribulus Raw Power also helps with sexual performance for both men and women. For most men, it will help increase sexual stamina, erections, and duration, sperm count (spermatozoa), sperm...

Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health

Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health
by Abraham Morgentaler (Author)

"Dr. Morgentaler, an internationally recognized expert in sexual medicine and male hormones, shares his secrets for a healthy life."
--Irwin Goldstein, M.D., Director of Sexual Medicine, Alvarado Hospital, San Diego, and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Sexual Medicine

"A highly valuable resource. Finally debunks many of the myths about testosterone's safety, which has been an impediment to its appropriate usage for far too long."
--David E. Greenberg, M.D., President, Canadian Society for the Study of the Aging Male

From a Harvard doctor and a leading expert on testosterone--the groundbreaking book that shows you how to raise your testosterone levels--and live your life to the fullest

Better sex. Increased vitality. More muscle. Improved health....

Novedex XT- Gaspari Nutrition Anti-Aromatase Testosterone Booster, 60ct

Novedex XT- Gaspari Nutrition Anti-Aromatase Testosterone Booster, 60ct
by Gaspari Nutrition

Gaspari Nutrition, the name you trust, has done it again with Novedex XT. In a recent clinical trial, this amazing non-anabolic and non-androgenic supplement yielded results greater than those of any other product of its kind in the supplement marketplace. Novedex XT has been shown to help significantly increase natural testosterone production and minimize the production of any and all estrogens in the body. With its unprecedented 1-2 punch, this product could be the safest and most effective natural way to trigger a potent and sustained physiological response in order to gain lean mass, strength and endurance while helping to achieve that dry and ripped look. Novedex XT - another fine product from Gaspari Nutrition. The brand that works.



* Picture may be of different size...

TesTo-Rex - 90 Capsules Anti-Estrogen & Anti-Aromatase Complex Testosterone Booster Tribulus Chrysin

TesTo-Rex - 90 Capsules Anti-Estrogen & Anti-Aromatase Complex Testosterone Booster Tribulus Chrysin
by PowerNutra

The amount of free testosterone can be altered (increased) by the use of aromatase inhibitors such as TesTo-RexTM. The less testosterone that is synthesized [aromatized] into estrogen, the more total testosterone) or inhibitors of the plasma proteins that bind into testosterone. Manipulating the tendency of a testosterone to exist in an unbound state is an effective way to alter the overall activity and potency of ones overall testosterone levels. Higher levels of testosterone produce an enhanced anti-glucocorticoid effect, which yields an anti-catabolic, or more precisely, anti-proteoolytic, effect on muscle cells. This indirect anabolic effect is the result of testosterones high affinity for binding with glucocorticoid receptors, thus blocking the normal messenger pathway that triggers...

Cryotest - Muscletech Hardcore Anabolic Testosterone Amplifier, 168 Capsules

Cryotest - Muscletech Hardcore Anabolic Testosterone Amplifier, 168 Capsules
by MuscleTech

Of all the hormones in your body, testosterone is one superior musclebuilder. Every feat of strength, world record or Mr. Olympia physique is powered by increased testosterone levels. Without a doubt, testosterone offers bodybuilders an undeniable advantage. Thats why Team MuscleTech researchers spent countless hours searching for new and powerful ways to increase testosterone. The result is a testosterone-amplifying supplement more advanced than any other testosterone supplement on the market - CryoTest!

Theres a fine line between being a mass monster and just another guy in the gym. If youre willing to cross the line into uncharted territory, then youve got the guts to grab a bottle of CryoTest. Each serving contains powerful, clinically studied ingredients that are engineered to...

The Testosterone Syndrome: The Critical Factor for Energy, Health, and Sexuality--Reversing the Male Menopause

The Testosterone Syndrome: The Critical Factor for Energy, Health, and Sexuality--Reversing the Male Menopause
by Eugene Shippen (Author)

Testosterone therapy can improve the overall health and feeling of well-being of aging men, improving sex drive, mental functions, and energy levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.--Library Journal

Doctor's Testosterone Gel - 4 oz.

Doctor's Testosterone Gel - 4 oz.
by Fountain of Youth

Increase testosterone levels. Also contains botanicals to increase the luteinizing hormone, decrease DHT and suppress Estrogen.

Biotest Tribex Tribulus Terrestris Testosterone Boosters Tablets, 50-Count Bottle

Biotest Tribex Tribulus Terrestris Testosterone Boosters Tablets, 50-Count Bottle
by Biotest

This dietary supplement is known as the king of testosterone. Super-concentrated extract. (This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)

© 2009 BrightSurf.com