Testosterone replacement therapies have been available to men for many decades, but until recently, only offered to men will significantly low levels, usually bellow 100. This is an endocrine medical condition requiring medical treatment. Steroid abuse has at the same time been rampant, allowing athletes to increase bulk and speed. Now, testosterone is being marketed for lifestyle enhancement by big pharma and medical clinics, with the promise of increased energy, sex drive and seemingly endless youth. But, is there a cost?
Testosterone decreases in men as they age, with drop in libido and muscle mass. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine two years ago reported giving testosterone to a cohort of men over seventy with disastrous results. High blood pressure, heart disease and prostate issues were universal. No study shows what happens to men who take testosterone in their forties and fifties and are followed over time, but steroid abuse is extremely well documented, and deadly. And, most ‘Low-T” clinics shoot to raise levels to the six to eight hundred range. Most internists and urologist strongly advise against treatment unless a documented deficit is found. A heart attack or prostate cancer only needs to occur once per lifetime to have devastating effects.
Of course, cardiovascular and resistance exercise naturally increases testosterone levels in men, as well as enhancing well being and moods. But, it takes commitment and effort. You do, however, lower the risk of illness rather than raise it. In our instant gratification world, a drug is so much easier than lifestyle changes. For the majority of men, the risks far outweigh the gains, no matter how happy those guys look in the ads! Get off your couch and get moving!