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Home > Anti-aging Research > Testosterone

I feel that you are just peeing in the wind if you are taking a testosterone without something to prevent it from converting into estrogen.  See my aromatization page.  Also, prolactin and cortisol, which increase as men age and are counterproductive to testosterone.

Testosterone

Popular Supplements/Medications:

• Testosterone at 911healthshop.com
• Prescription options available are AndroGel / Androderm (patch) or a compound gel.  The compound gel is available at MedQuest Pharmacy, 6965 Union Park Center, Salt Lake City, UT 84047, phone 888-222-2956.
• tribulus terrestris / ArginMax / chrysin / I3C / l-arginine / saw palmetto / pygeum / isoflavones / nettle / tribulus / acetyl-l-carnitine / phosphatidylserine / muira puama / zinc / muira puama

Related Topics:

• aromatization / impotence / prolactin / cortisol

Alternative News:

• Male Hormone Modulation Therapy - Life Extension Foundation
• Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 Dec 29 - "Men with sufficient 25(OH)D levels (>/=30 mug/l) had significantly higher levels of testosterone and FAI and significantly lower levels of SHBG when compared to 25(OH)D insufficient (20-29.9 mug/l) and 25(OH)D deficient (<20 mug/l) men (p<0.05 for all). In linear regression analyses adjusted for possible confounders, we found significant associations of 25(OH)D levels with testosterone, FAI, and SHBG levels (p<0.05 for all). 25(OH)D, testosterone, and FAI levels followed a similar seasonal pattern with a nadir in March (12.2 mug/l, 15.9 nmol/l, and 40.8, respectively) and peak levels in August (23.4 mug/l, 18.7 nmol/l, and 49.7, respectively) (p<0.05 for all). Conclusion: Androgen levels and 25(OH)D levels are associated in men and reveal a concordant seasonal variation" - See vitamin D products at iHerb.
• Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended" - See Femara (letrozole) at OffshoreRX.  I've been taking a quarter table a day but it sounds like that's way to much an a quarter tablet every other day might be best which comes to 2.5 mg every 8 days.  People complain about the hassle to get doctors to prescribe testosterone.  It sounds like letrozole will give you the same or better numbers without the hassle.  Plus testosterone replacement increases estrogen but letrozole has the advantage of decreasing it.  See my aromatization page.
• Carnitine Improves Symptoms of Male Aging - Medscape, 4/14/04 - "Carnitine is more active than testosterone for improving symptoms of male aging such as sexual dysfunction, depressed mood, and fatigue ... In this trial, 120 patients were randomized to receive testosterone undecanoate 160 mg/day, propionyl-L-carnitine 2 g/day plus acetyl-L-carnitine 2 g/day, or placebo for six months" [Abstract] - See iHerb or Vitacost acetyl-l-carnitine products and iHerb propionyl-l-carnitine.
• Why Testosterone Levels Decline  - Life Extension Magazine, 11/99 - "Clinical studies using testosterone injections, creams, or patches have often failed to provide a long-lasting, libido-enhancing effect in aging men (98). We now know why. The testosterone can be converted to estrogen. The estrogen is then taken up by testosterone receptor sites in cells throughout the body. When an estrogen molecule occupies a testosterone receptor site on a cell membrane, it blocks the ability of serum testosterone to induce a healthy hormonal signal. It does not matter how much serum free testosterone is available if excess estrogen is competing for the same cellular receptor sites" - See aromatization.
• Correcting A Hormone Imbalance  - Life Extension Magazine, 11/99  - "If all of the above fail to increase free testosterone and lower excess estradiol, then ask your doctor to prescribe the potent aromatase inhibiting drug Arimidex (anastrozole) in the very low dose of one-half (0.5 mg) mg, twice a week"
• Better than testosterone? - Life Extension Foundation, 4/19/04 - "The April 2004 issue of the journal Urology published the findings ... Erectile function, sexual desire, sexual satisfaction and nocturnal penile tumescence increased over the course of the study in the group receiving testosterone as well as the group receiving carnitine. In addition, the group receiving carnitine experienced an increase in orgasm and general sexual well-being. Erectile function and nocturnal penile tumescence were significantly more improved in this group than in those receiving testosterone. While both treatments lowered depression scores, carnitine’s effect was greater"
• Testosterone Attacked by the Media - Life Extension Magazine, 2/04
• Report: Male Menopause - Life Extension Magazine, 10/03 - "there are a growing number of anti-aging researchers who believe that estrogen and its metabolites, such as 16-alpha-hydroxyesterone, may be more significant in the development of prostate cancer than testosterone. In fact, a recent report made the following statement, which just 10 years ago would have been considering heresy by mainstream medicine: "There is no evidence that exogenous testosterone stimulates the development of severe symptomatic prostate hyperplasia, nor does exogenous testosterone seem to increase the risk of clinically significant prostate cancer." ... male rats treated with testosterone alone showed significantly less prostate growth when compared to animals treated with both testosterone and estrogen"
• Improve Your Sex Life And Protect Against Heart Attack - Life Extension Magazine, 5/03 - "low testosterone levels were associated with several risk factors for heart attack such as high insulin levels, abnormal glucose metabolism, low levels of HDL cholesterol and high blood pressure. Moreover, he further proposed that the converse was also true: testosterone protects against heart disease in men"
• Bright Light Therapy May Boost Testosterone - WebMD, 4/22/03 - "early morning light therapy caused a surge in a pituitary hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH) that raises testosterone levels in men ... Previous studies have shown that bright light therapy of daily exposure to specially designed, high-intensity light boxes can alleviate many symptoms of depression, especially among people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during winter months" - I did a lot of research on lighting for our home owners association.  See http://qualitycounts.com/fp/lights.htm.  The closest fluorescents to actual sunlight are the ones with 5000 or 6500 Kelvin rating.  The lights advertised as "cool white" are around 2700 Kelvin.  I've always felt that the "cool white" phrase was just a gimmick to sell what was cheap to make.
• Testosterone Deficiency & Depression, Does DHEA Raise the Levels of Bioavailable Testosterone in Men? - Life Extension Magazine, 8/02 - "As testosterone replacement for women is becoming increasingly commonplace, women too report not just restored libido, but also improved mood and greater energy, less anxiety and more assertiveness ... low levels of free testosterone were the best predictor of depression, regardless of age ... the study [in men] showed no correlation between depression and free estradiol ... The mood-improving action of testosterone is more likely to be due to the direct action of testosterone on the brain-possibly through raising the levels of dopamine, a very important "reward" neurotransmitter ... We know that as cortisol rises, testosterone levels tend to drop ... It is insufficient to have your total testosterone tested; men should insist on a blood test for free testosterone ... The transdermal route (cream or gel), however, is widely regarded as the best, producing steady levels and the least stress on the liver. Methyl-testosterone is to be avoided, since it is harmful to the liver; in fact, it has been banned in Europe ... a well-controlled study published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology and Metabolism did in fact find a significant rise in free testosterone in men aged 60 to 84 years, after three months on 100 mg of DHEA ... Some men on testosterone drug replacement therapy develop dangerously high estrogen levels. Estrogen can be suppressed by taking an aromatase-inhibiting drug like Arimidex (0.5 mg twice a week) or using a supplement like Super Mira Forte (six capsules daily)" - See Super Mira Forte at Life Extension Products.
• Low testosterone levels can mean high health risks - Life Extension Magazine, 11/00 - "the preponderance of the evidence shows that maintaining youthful testosterone levels does not affect prostate cancer risk, whereas waning testosterone levels carry their own health threats. Declining testosterone levels can lead to the development of numerous symptoms such as a decrease in virility, libido and sexual activity, general sense of well-being, as well as fatigue, depression and sleep disturbances. In addition to problems such as sexual dysfunction or general malaise, however, low testosterone also translates into decreased muscle mass and strength, as well as a decrease in bone mass and an increase in abdominal fat. Studies show that the latter two lay a role in degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, depleted testosterone levels are being linked to the incidence of various lipid disorders and heart disease."
• Male Hormone Modulation Therapy  - Life Extension Magazine, 11/99 - "One cause of hormone imbalance in men is that their testosterone is increasingly converted to estrogen. One report showed that estrogen levels of the average 54-year-old man are higher than those of the average 59-year-old woman . . . . High levels of estrogen have been implicated as a cause of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)" - See my chrysin and I3C page about how of protect against this.
• Replenish Testosterone Naturally - Life Extension Magazine, 1/00 - "Through a variety of mechanisms, aging men suffer from the dual effects of having too little testosterone and excess estrogen. The result is a testosterone/ estrogen imbalance that can severely inhibit sexual desire and performance."
• Hormonal Rejuvenation for Men - How men can safely use testosterone to restore libido - Life Extension Magazine, 1/00 - "The medical disorders related to testosterone deficit include  depression, coronary artery disease, elevated cholesterol, abdominal weight gain, cognitive deficit, fatigue, immune dysfunction and many other diseases associated with "growing old."
• Replenish Testosterone Naturally - Life Extension Magazine, 1/00 - "Too much estrogen plays havoc with a man's sex life by binding to testosterone receptor sites and may contribute to the over-production of SHBG. SHBG binds free testosterone in a way that makes it unavailable to receptor sites in the brain, nerves and genitals."
• Be All That You Can Be - Life Enhancement Magazine, 7/99

General Information:

• Hypogonadism - American Academy of Family Physicians
• Hypogonadism - emedicine.com
• Hypogonadism - FamilyDoctor.org
• Low Testosterone - Intelihealth
• Midlife Sexuality - Intelihealth
• Androgel prescribing information - androgel.com
• Are there any prescription therapies for low sex drive? - drugstore.com ask the pharmacist.
• Evaluation and Treatment of Male Sexual Dysfunction  - American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and The American College of Endocrinology - "increased prolactin levels may also cause erectile problems, even in the presence of a normal testosterone level . . . .Most problems revolve around dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and are associated with either excess prolactin or decreased testosterone levels. Other endocrine disorders that may cause libido or erectile difficulties include hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, or excessive levels of adrenal corticosteroids." - see prolactin and cortisol
• Hypogonadism - American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
• Erectile Dysfunction / Impotence - Prostate Health Guide - U. of Maryland Medicine - "Hormonal abnormalities such as increased prolactin (a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland), steroid abuse by body-builders, too much or too little thyroid hormone, and hormones administered for prostate cancer may cause impotence. Rarely is low testosterone responsible for impotence"
• Testosterone Therapy: No Prostate Cancer Link - WebMD, 1/15/04 - "One of doctors' greatest fears about testosterone therapy is that it may cause prostate cancer. But a new study shows that it won't increase a man's risk of prostate cancer -- even if he has precancerous prostate cells"
• Testosterone Replacement for Older Men - DrMirkin.com, 4/12/00
• Testosterone Therapy to Treat Erectile Dysfunction - WebMD
• Endocrinology of Aging, Andropause - Medscape, 3/00

CME:

• Controversies Surrounding Androgen Deprivation for Prostate Cancer - University of South Florida College of Medicine, exp. 7/1/03

Other News:

• Testosterone - The Good, the Bad, the Ugly by Bryan Haycock - Think Muscle Newsletter
• Low testosterone levels and SHBG levels and high estradiol levels are independent predictors of type 2 diabetes in men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2010 Jan 8 - "There was a significantly lowered multi-adjusted risk for later diabetes with higher normal total testosterone levels, both linearly per SD increase (HR 0.71, CI 0.54-0.92) and in the higher quartiles of total testosterone compared to the lowest (HR 0.53, CI 0.33-0.84). A reduced multi-adjusted risk for incident diabetes was also found for men with higher SHBG levels, both linearly per SD increase (HR 0.55, CI 0.39-0.79) and when comparing the third (HR 0.38, CI 0.18-0.81) and the fourth quartile (HR 0.37, 0.17-0.82) to the lowest. The associations with total testosterone and SHBG were no longer significant after inclusion of waist circumference to the multivariate models. Estradiol was positively associated with incident diabetes after multivariate adjustments including waist circumference, when comparing the second (HR 0.49, CI 0.26-0.93) and the third (HR 0.51, CI 0.27-0.96) quartile to the highest Conclusion. Men with higher estradiol levels had an increased risk of later diabetes independent of obesity, while men with lower total testosterone and SHBG had an increased risk of diabetes that appeared dependent of obesity"

• Aromatase Inhibition Offers Little Benefit, Possible Harm to Men With Lo... - Medscape, 12/22/09 - "The inescapable conclusion from these data is that the 50% increase in testosterone levels was trumped by the much more modest 20% reduction in estradiol levels, leading to negative skeletal effects of anastrozole therapy in aging men" - Note:  I'm not sure that thought this though thoroughly.  Mortally in men is best when estrogen is around 25pg/mL.  I suspect that most have higher estrogen than that.  See:

  • High, Low Estradiol Levels and Mortality in Men With Systolic HF - Medscape, 5/19/09 - "Both low and high serum levels of estradiol, compared with mid-range levels, are significantly and independently associated with increased all-cause mortality in men with chronic systolic heart failure"
    Serum Estradiol Concentration Quintiles as Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Men (With Quintile 3 as the Reference Group)

    Parameter	Quintile 1	Quintile 2	Quintile 3	Quintile 4	Quintile 5
    Estradiol concentration (pg/mL)	<12.903	12.90–21.79	21.80–30.11	30.12–37.39	>37.40
    3-y survival* (%)	44.6	65.8	82.4	79.0	63.6
    Quintile as mortality predictor,* HR (95% CI) vs quintile 3	4.17 (2.33–7.45)	2.15 (1.16–3.99)	--	1.22 (0.64–2.31)	2.33 (1.30–4.18)

    HR= hazard ratio
• Testosterone does not induce aggression, study shows - Science Daily, 12/9/09 - "New scientific evidence refutes the preconception that testosterone causes aggressive, egocentric, and risky behavior. A study at the Universities of Zurich and Royal Holloway London with more than 120 experimental subjects has shown that the sexual hormone with the poor reputation can encourage fair behaviors if this serves to ensure one's own status"
• Low testosterone level as a predictor of cardiovascular events in Japanese men with coronary risk factors - Atherosclerosis. 2009 Nov 13 - "Cox proportional hazards models showed that the subjects with the lowest tertile of plasma testosterone (<14.2nmol/L) had an approximately 4-fold higher CV event risk compared to those with the higher testosterone tertiles after adjustment for coronary risk factors including medication and FMD (unadjusted hazard ratio, 3.61; 95% CI, 1.47-8.86: multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio, 4.61; 95% CI, 1.02-21.04). Multivariate analysis did not show any significant association of DHEA-S, estradiol or cortisol with CV events"

• Efficacy of testosterone gel in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in hypogonadal hemodialysis patients: a pilot study - Int J Impot Res. 2009 Nov 19 - "T administration significantly increased serum T levels to the normal range, and was associated with statistically significant improvements of the scores of the IIEF domains (erectile function from 7.6+/-8.0 to 12.8+/-7.8; intercourse satisfaction from 3.4+/-4.5 to 4.8+/-3.1; orgasmic function from 4.8+/-3.1 to 3.4+/-2.9; sexual desire from 3.4+/-2.9 to 4.4+/-0.6; overall sexual satisfaction from 2.6+/-1.3 to 3.8+/-1.0). But scores of the IIEF did not normalize. Frequency of weekly sexual intercourse increased from 0.4+/-0.4 to 1.1+/-0.8 (P<0.05) after 6 months. There were no adverse effects" - Note:  One problem with testosterone administration is that it increased estradiol by about the same percentage.  I'm 60 years old and my testosterone was above the limits just by taking a half tablet of letrozole per day.  I've cut it to a quarter tablet but haven't had it rechecked.  Letrozole has been shown to double or triple testosterone and lower estrogen at the same time.  Some studies indicate that you might want to keep estrogen around 25 for men.  See letrozole at OffshoreRX.com.  See:

  • Androgel prescribing information - androgel.com - "Serum estradiol (E2) concentrations increased significantly within 30 days of starting treatment with AndroGel 5 or 10 g/day and remained elevated throughout the treatment period but remained within the normal range for eugonadal men"
  • High, Low Estradiol Levels and Mortality in Men With Systolic HF - Medscape, 5/19/09 - "Both low and high serum levels of estradiol, compared with mid-range levels, are significantly and independently associated with increased all-cause mortality in men with chronic systolic heart failure"
  • Short-term aromatase inhibition: effects on glucose metabolism and serum leptin levels in young and elderly men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 Dec 2 - "Ten elderly and nine young healthy men were randomized to receive letrozole 2.5 mg daily or placebo for 28 days in a crossover design. Results: Both in young and elderly men, active treatment significantly increased serum testosterone (+128 and +99%, resp.) and decreased estradiol levels (-41 and -62%, resp.). Fasting glucose and insulin levels decreased in young men after active intervention (-7 and -37%, resp.) compared to placebo. Leptin levels fell markedly in both age groups (-24 and -25%, resp.), while adiponectin levels were not affected by the intervention. Lipid profile was slightly impaired in both groups, with increasing LDL-cholesterol levels (+14%) in the younger age group and 10% lower levels of ApoA1 in the elderly. A decline in IGF-1 levels (-15%) was observed in the younger age group. No changes in weight or BMI were observed in either young or old men"
  • Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended"
  • Comparative assessment in young and elderly men of the gonadotropin response to aromatase inhibition - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Oct;90(10):5717-22 - "As assessed after 28 d of treatment, letrozole lowered E2 by 46% in the young men (P = 0.002) and 62% in the elderly men (P < 0.001). In both age groups, letrozole, but not placebo, significantly increased LH levels (339 and 323% in the young and the elderly, respectively) and T (146 and 99%, respectively) (P value of young vs. elderly was not significant). Under letrozole, peak LH response to GnRH was 152 and 52% increase from baseline in young and older men, respectively"
  • Letrozole normalizes serum testosterone in severely obese men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005 May;7(3):211-5 - "Six weeks of treatment decreased serum estradiol from 120 +/- 20 to 70 +/- 9 pmol/l (p = 0.006). None of the subjects developed an estradiol level of less than 40 pmol/l. LH increased from 4.5 +/- 0.8 to 14.8 +/- 2.3 U/l (p < 0.001). Total testosterone rose from 7.5 +/- 1.0 to 23.8 +/- 3.0 nmol/l (p < 0.001) without a concomitant change in sex hormone-binding globulin level. Those treated with Letrozole 17.5 mg per week had an excessive LH response"
• Low Bioavailable Testosterone Linked to Frailty in Older Men - Medscape, 10/30/09
• Testosterone of Benefit in CHF - Medscape, 8/28/09
• Increase In Visceral Fat During Menopause Linked With Testosterone - Science Daily, 8/20/09 - "The culprit is likely not age, as is commonly believed, but the change in hormone balance that occurs during the menopause transition ... Of all the factors we analyzed that could possibly account for the increase in visceral fat during this period in a woman's lifetime, levels of active testosterone proved to be the one most closely linked with abdominal fat ... in women, it is the change in the hormonal balance – specifically, the increase in active testosterone – that is predominantly responsible for visceral fat, and for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease"
• Hot Flash: Low Testosterone Robs Men of Joy, Sex, Energy - ABC  News, 8/10/09 - "By the time Dan hit 57, he didn't recognize himself. He was always tired, fell asleep after dinner and was angry all the time ... "After a year, the injections worked," Dan said. "It's not like I am doing physical feats that I was not doing before, but I was noticing a change when I would take groceries out of the car and move wood into the pile. Before, I used to groan as I did it and had more aches and pains.""
• Lower serum testosterone is independently associated with insulin resistance in non-diabetic older men. The Health In Men Study - Eur J Endocrinol. 2009 Aug 6 - "In older men, lower total testosterone is associated with insulin resistance independently of measures of central obesity. This association is seen with testosterone levels in the low to normal range. Further studies are needed to evaluate interventions which raise testosterone levels in men with reduced insulin sensitivity"
• Testosterone Therapy Improves Metabolic Syndrome, Liver Steatosis in Hypogonadal Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/09 - "After receiving TU for 6 months, their body mass index, waist circumference, and low-density and high-density lipoprotein were improved ... Similarly, their serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased towards the end of the first year of treatment, and then remained stable for the duration of the study ... The mean tryglyceride levels after treatment with TU were 195 mg/dL, down from 312 mg/dL before treatment ... LDL levels decreased after treatment as well, from 164 to 134 mg/dL, whereas HDL levels increased from 36.5 to 54.6 mg/dL"
• Low free testosterone levels are associated with prevalence and incidence of depressive Symptoms in older men - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 May 25 - "Free testosterone levels below 170 pmol/L are associated with depressive symptoms while free testosterone levels below 220 pmol/L (lowest quintile of our population) predict the onset of depressive symptoms"
• Low Serum Testosterone and Estradiol Predict Mortality in Elderly Men - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Apr 28 - "mean follow-up period of 4.5 years ... low levels (within quartile 1; versus quartiles 2-4) of both testosterone (hazard ratio [HR] 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29-2.12) and estradiol (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.22-1.95) associated with mortality. A model including both hormones showed that both low testosterone (HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.11-1.92) and estradiol (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.02-1.73) predicted mortality. Risk of death nearly doubled (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.46-2.62) in subjects with low levels of both testosterone and estradiol compared with subjects within quartiles 2-4 of both hormones ... Elderly men with low serum testosterone and estradiol have increased risk of mortality, and subjects with low values of both testosterone and estradiol have the highest risk of mortality"
• Tadalafil Response in Patients With Erectile Dysfunction Is Androgen Dependent - Doctor's Guide, 3/23/09 - "Testosterone gel therapy significantly improves the response to tadalafil in nonresponding patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) -- but only if they have total testosterone levels of less than 3 ng/mL or bioavailable testosterone levels of less than 0.6 ng/mL"
• Obesity Linked To Hormone Imbalance That Impacts Sexual Quality Of Life - Science Daily, 3/3/09 - "In our study population, we found that lower testosterone levels and diminished ratings for sexual quality of life were correlated with increased BMI ... Subjects who lost weight through bariatric surgery experienced a reduction in estradiol levels, an increase in testosterone levels and an increase in ratings of sexual quality of life" - See my aromatization page.  Another way to increase testosterone and decrease estradiol is with letrozole.  I take a quarter tablet every other day.
  • Letrozole once a week normalizes serum testosterone in obesity-related male hypogonadism - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 May;158(5):741-7 - "Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is frequently observed in severely obese men, probably as a result of increased estradiol (E(2)) production and E(2)-mediated negative feedback on pituitary LH secretion. Aromatase inhibitors can reverse this process ... treated with 2.5 mg letrozole once a week for 6 months ... Six weeks of treatment reduced total E(2) from 123+/-11 to 58+/-7 pmol/l (P<0.001, mean+/-s.e.m.), and increased serum LH from 4.4+/-0.6 to 11.1+/-1.5 U/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose from 5.9+/-0.5 to 19.6+/-1.4 nmol/l (P<0.001), and free testosterone from 163+/-13 to 604+/-50 pmol/l (P<0.001). Total testosterone rose to within the normal range in all subjects, whereas free testosterone rose to supraphysiological levels in 7 out of 12 men ... Letrozole 2.5 mg once a week produced a sustained normalization of serum total testosterone in obese men with IHH. However, free testosterone frequently rose to supraphysiological levels. Therefore, a starting dose <2.5 mg once a week is recommended" - See Femara (letrozole) at OffshoreRX.
• Study: Testosterone Correlated to Successful Financial Trading - washingtonpost.com, 1/12/09
• Low Testosterone Levels Associated With Lone Atrial Fibrillation in Men - Medscape, 2/20/09 - "Mean testosterone levels in men with lone AF were significantly lower than those in healthy controls, the authors report, but mean estradiol levels did not differ significantly between the 2 groups"
• Sex Hormone Levels, Breast Cancer Risk, and Cancer Receptor Status in Postmenopausal Women: the ORDET Cohort - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Jan;18(1):169-76 - "This study provides further evidence that high levels of circulating testosterone increase the risk of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The cancers that develop are mainly estrogen receptor positive. Although HER2(+) and HER2(-) breast cancers were both associated with high total testosterone, they showed opposing associations with estrogen"
• Testosterone Gel Addition Benefits Men With Erectile Dysfunction Who Do Not Respond to PDE5s Alone if Testosterone Levels Are Low - Doctor's Guide, 12/10/08 - "Addition of testosterone gel to improve efficacy of the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor tadalafil in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) shows significant improvements for those with a serum testosterone level <=3 ng/mL at baseline"
• Short-term aromatase inhibition: effects on glucose metabolism and serum leptin levels in young and elderly men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2008 Dec 2 - "Ten elderly and nine young healthy men were randomized to receive letrozole 2.5 mg daily or placebo for 28 days in a crossover design. Results: Both in young and elderly men, active treatment significantly increased serum testosterone (+128 and +99%, resp.) and decreased estradiol levels (-41 and -62%, resp.). Fasting glucose and insulin levels decreased in young men after active intervention (-7 and -37%, resp.) compared to placebo. Leptin levels fell markedly in both age groups (-24 and -25%, resp.), while adiponectin levels were not affected by the intervention. Lipid profile was slightly impaired in both groups, with increasing LDL-cholesterol levels (+14%) in the younger age group and 10% lower levels of ApoA1 in the elderly. A decline in IGF-1 levels (-15%) was observed in the younger age group. No changes in weight or BMI were observed in either young or old men" - Note:  I take a quarter tablet of letrozole every other day to prevent aromatization.  See letrozole at OffshoreRX.com.
• C-reactive protein levels and ageing male symptoms in hypogonadal men treated with testosterone supplementation - Andrologia. 2008 Dec;40(6):398-400 - "Aging Male Symptom (AMS) ... Testosterone administration resulted in a profound decline in CRP levels and AMS scores"
• Correlation between simultaneous PSA and serum testosterone concentrations among eugonadal, untreated hypogonadal and hypogonadal men receiving testosterone replacement therapy - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Oct 9 - "testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) ... does not appear to significantly influence serum PSA expression and no significant correlation was identified between PSA and serum testosterone among eugonadal, untreated hypogonadal and hypogonadal men receiving TRT"
• Prostate Cancer Therapy: Mental Impact? - WebMD, 7/29/08 - "ADT stands for "androgen-deprivation therapy" and is the standard type of treatment for prostate cancer that has spread to the bones or other organs ... there is a "strong argument" to be made that the hormone therapy is linked to "subtle but significant" cognitive declines in men with advanced prostate cancer"
• Prostate Cancer Hormone Therapy: No Survival Benefit in Older Men - WebMD, 7/8/08 - "In the U.S., older men often opt for stand-alone hormone therapy, even though there's no proof that it really helps. Hormone therapy's most obvious side effect is sexual dysfunction. Of greater concern are several recent studies linking androgen deprivation therapies to diabetes, heart disease, bone fractures, and reduced muscle mass ... Now a new study strongly suggests that hormone therapy offers older men no benefit to justify these serious risks" -  [Science Daily]
• Testosterone Gel Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Sexual Function in Hypogonadal Men With Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome - Doctor's Guide, 6/20/08 - "Among patients with type 2 diabetes with or without metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance as measured by HOMA-IR improved from baseline in the testosterone-treated group compared with placebo at 6 months (testosterone: -0.62, placebo: +0.16; P = .049) and at 12 months (testosterone: -.58 ... Patients receiving testosterone also achieved more than a 5-point improvement over placebo-treated patients on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) at 6 months (P < .05) and more than 6 points over placebo-treated patients at 12 months"
• Hormone Replacement for Men: Pros, Cons - WebMD, 6/18/08- "The supplemental testosterone reduced total cholesterol, "bad" LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and body mass index while improving "good" HDL cholesterol. The men lost their pot bellies, Saad says. "What we see after 12 months is a reduction in two or three trouser sizes, three or four inches off the waist. We see a reduction by one-fourth to one-third of their total cholesterol"
• Low Testosterone Appears To Increase Long-term Risk Of Death - Science Daily, 6/17/08 - "Men with low testosterone levels had more than 2.5 times greater risk of dying during the next 10 years compared to men with higher testosterone"
• Low Testosterone May Cause Health Problems That Lead To Erectile Dysfunction - Science Daily, 6/16/08 - "It is becoming clear that obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and erectile difficulties are intertwined, and a common denominator is testosterone deficiency"
• Testosterone Replacement Theraphy Beneficial In Men 60 And Older, Study Suggests - Science Daily, 4/7/08 - "These preliminary data show beneficial effects of testosterone therapy on bone turnover markers in older men with low-to-normal testosterone concentrations using both continuous and monthly cycled testosterone replacement"
• Previously Unrecognized Testosterone Deficiency Common In Men With Type 1 Diabetes - Science Daily, 3/26/08 - "Testosterone deficiency, previously recognized as common in men with type 2 diabetes, is also common in men with type 1 diabetes"
• Low Testosterone Levels Associated With Depression In Older Men - Science Daily, 3/4/08 - "men in the lowest quintile (20 percent) of free testosterone concentration had three times the odds of having depression compared to men in the highest quintile"
• Testosterone Reduces Visceral Fat Gain in Nonobese Older Men - Medscape, 2/1/08 - "Testosterone therapy lessens the gain in visceral adipose tissue and the loss of skeletal muscle in aging men who are not obese ... Given the strong association of visceral fat with metabolic syndrome -- leading to diabetes -- and cardiovascular disease ... these findings suggest testosterone may be used to modify the age-related increase in visceral adipose tissue, and possibly the associated adverse metabolic changes"
• Sex Hormones Unrelated To Prostate Cancer Risk, Report Shows - Science Daily, 1/30/08 - "collected the original data from 18 studies and analyzed it to determine the relationship between blood levels of sex hormones and prostate cancer. The pooled data included 3,886 men with prostate cancer and 6,438 controls ... The researchers found no association between prostate cancer risk and blood levels of different forms of testosterone or estrogen"
• Androgen-Deprivation Therapy Linked to Diabetes - Medscape, 1/22/08 - "After controlling for other factors, the estimated relative risk of incident diabetes associated with ADT was a significant 1.36"
• Low Testosterone Levels Associated With Risk Of Fracture In Men Over 60 - Science Daily, 1/14/08 - "Although low levels of estradiol and testosterone were associated with a higher risk of fracture in men over 60, only the effect of testosterone was independent of other risk factors, the authors conclude"
• Testosterone May Improve Mental Function - Science Daily, 1/14/08 - "higher testosterone levels in midlife have been linked to better preservation of tissue in some parts of the brain. And in older men, higher testosterone levels have been associated with better performance on cognitive tests ... Three studies linked impaired performance on cognitive tests with androgen deprivation therapy"
• Does Testosterone Aid Aging Men? - WebMD, 1/2/07
• Testosterone Supplementation May Increase Lean Body Mass in Older Men - Medscape, 1/2/08 - "lean body mass increased and fat mass decreased in the testosterone vs the placebo group ... Although insulin sensitivity improved, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels decreased in the testosterone group. At the end of the study, metabolic syndrome was present in 47.8% in the testosterone vs 35.5% in the placebo group"
• Testosterone Supplementation For Older Men Appears To Have Limited Benefit - Science Daily, 1/1/08
• High Testosterone Enanthate Dose May Impair Memory in Older Men - Medscape, 12/13/07 - "supraphysiological testosterone levels may have detrimental effects on memory and brain function in elderly men ... the testosterone treatment was associated with declines of "medium effect size" in short-term verbal memory score (p < .05) and a nonsignificant decrease in composite verbal memory score (p = .09), as measured with the California Verbal Learning Test"
• Testosterone, diabetes mellitus, and the metabolic syndrome - Curr Urol Rep. 2007 Nov;8(6):467-71 - "One third of men with type 2 diabetes mellitus are now recognized as testosterone deficient. Emerging evidence suggests that testosterone therapy may be able to reverse some aspects of metabolic syndrome"
• Low Testosterone, Early Death? - WebMD, 11/27/07 - "The lower a man's testosterone level, the higher his risk of death -- especially death from heart disease ... Men in the highest quartile were 41% less likely to die"
• Too Much Sugar Turns Off Gene That Controls Effects Of Sex Steroids - Science Daily, 11/21/07 - "This discovery reinforces public health advice to eat complex carbohydrates and avoid sugar ... Glucose and fructose are metabolized in the liver. When there’s too much sugar in the diet, the liver converts it to lipid. Using a mouse model and human liver cell cultures, the scientists discovered that the increased production of lipid shut down a gene called SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), reducing the amount of SHBG protein in the blood. SHBG protein plays a key role in controlling the amount of testosterone and estrogen that’s available throughout the body"
• Relationship between serum testosterone and measures of benign prostatic hyperplasia in aging men - Urology. 2007 Oct;70(4):677-80 - "the serum testosterone levels in aging men did not correlate with the measures of BPH, including prostate volume and IPSS, regardless of whether total, free, or bioavailable testosterone was used. Age correlated with the measures of BPH, especially prostate volume"
• Marriage And Fatherhood Linked To Lower Testosterone Levels - Science Daily, 10/10/07 - "monogamously married Ariaal men had significantly lower morning and afternoon testosterone levels compared to their single counterparts of similar age (20-39)"
• Low Serum Testosterone and Mortality in Older Men - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Oct 2 - "Men whose total testosterone levels were in the lowest quartile (<241 ng/dl) were 40% (HR=1.40; 95% CI, 1.14-1.71) more likely to die than those with higher levels ... In cause-specific analyses, low testosterone predicted increased risk of cardiovascular (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.02- 1.85) and respiratory disease (HR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.25-4.20) mortality, but was not significantly related to cancer death (HR, 1.34"
• Low Testosterone Symptoms Rare - WebMD, 9/12/07 - "As many as 25% of U.S. men have low testosterone levels, but only 5.6% of men have symptoms linked to it ... know that prostate cancer often regresses when testosterone is removed, but there is very little evidence that supplementing normal testosterone levels increases risk of cancer -- and there is some evidence it may lower it"
• Testosterone Deficiency Relatively Rare In Men - Science Daily, 9/7/07
• Testosterone Patch Benefits Women With Low Sexual Desire - Science Daily, 8/14/07 - "A total of 132 participants from the 2 trials were interviewed after a 6-month treatment period regarding their experience with the treatment. Results revealed a significant increase in frequency of satisfying sexual activity and sexual desire based on women experiencing the treatment as beneficial. Those women had an average increase in sexual activity of 4.4 times per 4 weeks. In contrast, women who did not experience a benefit had only a 0.5 increase in activity per 4 weeks"
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy - Science Daily, 8/8/07 - "Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) ... testosterone supplementation of aging male SHR promotes renal injury and thereby exacerbates hypertension. The results also show that removal of endogenous androgens later in life (eight months) prevents the development of hypertensive renal injury without altering existing hypertension levels"
• Hormones for Prostate Cancer? - Dr. Weil, 8/2/07
• Older Men May Not Live As Long If They Have Low Testosterone - Science Daily, 6/5/07 - "The group with low testosterone levels had a 33 percent greater risk of death during the next 18 years than the men with higher testosterone"
• Testosterone and Ageing - Medscape, 5/21/07 - "Recent studies have confirmed the long-held belief that adequate testosterone concentrations are important for sexual function and decreased testosterone concentrations are associated with impaired sexual health.[7,69,70] Testosterone replacement monotherapy has been shown to improve sexual desire and function in hypogonadal men,[7,46,69,71] with effects persisting for up to 3 years"
• Testosterone May Help Treat MS in Men - WebMD, 5/14/07
• A Lively Libido Isn’t Reserved for the Young - New York Times, 4/12/07 - "But the real libido hormone, for both men and women, is testosterone, which women produce in their ovaries and adrenal glands"
• Less Sleep May Lower Testosterone - WebMD, 4/2/07 - "The results of the study raise the possibility that older men who obtain less actual sleep during the night have lower blood testosterone levels in the morning"
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Male Hypogonadism: Part III. Pharmacologic and Clinical Profiles, Monitoring, Safety Issues, and Potential Future Agents - Medscape, 1/8/07 - "male hypogonadism is associated with a wide range of potentially distressing symptoms and signs, many of which are reversible through TRT. Such treatment confers at least short-term clinical benefits on sexual function, particularly libido, as well as erectile function, body composition, and possibly mood and/or a sense of vitality"
• Testosterone May Slow Alzheimer's - WebMD, 12/19/06 - "The mice that couldn't make testosterone developed more brain plaque, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Those mice also had more trouble in a maze test"
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy Appears Safe For Prostate - Science Daily, 11/21/06 - "No treatment-related change was observed in prostate histology, tissue biomarkers, gene expression, or cancer incidence or severity. Treatment-related changes in prostate volume, serum prostate-specific antigen, voiding symptoms, and urinary flow were slight"
• Testosterone May Be Safe for Prostate - WebMD, 11/14/06 - "short-term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) among men with low testosterone has little effect on the prostate gland"
• Depression May Be Related to Testosterone Levels in Men - Doctor's Guide, 11/13/06 - "Levels of TT were 11.94 among patients with major depression and 17.64 among healthy controls (P < .001). Bioavailable testosterone measures were 3.51 among patients with depression and 4.69 among controls ... Men with depression have a significantly lower BT level than do non-depressed men but using TT as the threshold to define hypogonadism revealed an even greater difference between the 2 groups in this study"
• The Evolving Role Of Testosterone In The Treatment Of Erectile Dysfunction - Medscape, 10/30/06 - "testosterone replacement therapy has evolved from a monotherapy for ED in cases of low testosterone, to a combination therapy with PDE5 inhibitors. There is increasing evidence that combination therapy is effective in treating the symptoms of ED in patients for whom treatment failed with testosterone or PDE5 inhibitors alone. Screening for hypogonadism and combination therapy of ED may be particularly useful in men with type 2 diabetes or the metabolic syndrome"
• Study: Men's Testosterone Levels Down - WebMD, 10/26/06 - "A new study shows a drop in average blood levels of testosterone in middle-aged Boston men over the last 20 years ... The reasons for that decline aren't clear"
• Elderly Men With Low Testosterone Levels More Likely To Fall - Science Daily, 10/25/06 - "among the one-fourth of participants with the lowest testosterone levels, the risk for falling was 40 percent higher than among the one-fourth with the highest testosterone levels. The association was stronger in younger men (ages 65 to 69) and not apparent in men older than 80"
• How Effective is Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Premenopausal Women with Severe Androgen Deficiency? - Medscape, 10/2/06 - "Beneficial effects of testosterone on mood (P = 0.029) and sexual functioning (P = 0.044) were observed. There was also a marked improvement in the general health and quality of life of patients receiving testosterone, although changes in cognition were limited. Women receiving testosterone had a 6% mean increase in total cholesterol levels when compared with those receiving placebo"
• Elevated Testosterone Kills Nerve Cells - Science Daily, 9/27/06 - "high levels of testosterone triggered programmed cell death in nerve cells in culture"
• Low Testosterone Associated With Fracture Risk in Older Men - Medscape, 9/18/06 - "total and free testosterone levels were found to be significant and independent predictors of osteoporotic fracture. The risk for any fracture increased by 40% and the risk for nonvertebral fracture increased by 50% for each SD decrease in testosterone levels"
• Low Testosterone Levels Associated With Increased Risk Of Death In Men - Science Daily, 8/17/06
• Prevalence of Hypogonadism in Males Aged at Least 45 Years: the HIM Study - Medscape, 8/16/06 - "Crude prevalence rate of hypogonadism was 38.7% ... Hypogonadism in men, characterised by a reduced concentration of serum testosterone, causes a constellation of signs and symptoms that may include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, decreased volume of ejaculate, loss of body and facial hair, weakness, decreased bone density, decreased lean body mass, increased body fat, fatigue and anaemia"
• Hormone 'connected to death risk' - BBC News, 8/14/06 - "men with low hormone levels had an 88% increased risk of death compared with men with normal levels"
• Menopause Treatment a Cancer Risk? - WebMD, 7/24/06 - "women who had gone through menopause naturally and took estrogen plus testosterone had 2.5 times the risk of breast cancer than those who had never used hormone therapy. Estrogen-only therapy showed a 23% increased risk and estrogen-plus-progesterone therapy was linked to a 66% increased risk in those women with natural menopause"
• Combined Estrogen and Testosterone Use and Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women - Arch Intern Med, 7/24/06 - "Among women with a natural menopause, the risk of breast cancer was nearly 2.5-fold greater among current users of estrogen plus testosterone therapies ... Women receiving PMHs with testosterone had a 17.2% (95% confidence interval, 6.7%-28.7%) increased risk of breast cancer per year of use"
• High Estrogen Levels Associated With Dementia In Older Men; No Association Observed With Testosterone - Science Daily, 7/24/06 - "Levels of bioavailable testosterone were not associated with risk of cognitive decline and incident dementia," they report. "In contrast, higher levels of bioavailable estradiol were associated with an increased risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease." For each standard deviation increase in estradiol level, the risk for the disease went up by 25 percent" - I take a quarter tablet of Femara (OffshoreRX) to keep estrogen low. - Ben
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Prostate Cancer - Medscape, 7/19/06 - "there is currently no evidence that testosterone administration can initiate or promote a de novo or pre-existing prostatic malignancy in hypogonadal men.[40] In fact, there are strong indications that normal testosterone levels play a protective role in the natural history of prostate cancer"
• Low Testosterone Tied to Poor Health - WebMD, 6/5/06 - "odds of having low testosterone were ... 2.4 times higher for obese men ... 2.1 times higher for men with diabetes ... 1.8 times higher for men with high blood pressure ... Men with high cholesterol, prostate disease, and asthma were also more likely to have low testosterone than healthy men"
• Testosterone Gel Safe and Effective in Treating Hypogonadal Males With Erectile Dysfunction - Doctor's Guide, 7/3/06 - "Cavernous vasodilation, erectile capacity, sexual desire and body composition were also significantly improved with the Testogel combination"
• Data Suggest Testosterone Levels Correlate with Insulin Resistance and Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes Patients - Doctor's Guide, 6/21/06 - "Researchers found a general increase in insulin resistance in patients with Type 2 diabetes who have low total testosterone levels, compared to Type 2 diabetes patients with normal total testosterone levels"
• Testosterone Patch Helpful for Women With Androgen Deficiency and Hypopituitarism - Medscape, 5/15/06 - "Bone density increased in the hip and radius in the testosterone group by 0.9% and 0.8% at 1 year, respectively ... Fat-free mass increased by 3.4% and 0.6% in the testosterone vs placebo groups ... Testosterone increased muscle area in the thigh ... Mood and sexual function were improved"
• Male Hypogonadism: Etiology, Pathophysiology, and Diagnosis - Medscape, 5/9/06 - "Hypogonadism is characterized by low serum testosterone (T) levels (<300 ng/dl) together with ≥1 clinical symptom or sign. Symptoms of postpubertal hypogonadism include[1-3] (1) sexual dysfunction, such as reduced libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), diminished penile sensation, difficulty attaining orgasm, as well as reduced ejaculate with orgasm; (2) reduced energy, vitality, or stamina; (3) depressed mood or diminished sense of well-being; (4) increased irritability; (5) difficulty concentrating and other cognitive problems; and/or (6) hot flushes in some cases of acute onset"
• Lower Testosterone Levels Among Some Diabetic Patients May Lead to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease - Doctor's Guide, 4/27/06 - "Men with type 2 diabetes should have their testosterone monitored, because one third of them may have low testosterone that could be related to a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease"
• Epidemiology of Hypogonadism - Medscape, 3/22/06 - "Male hypogonadism is a frequent and potentially undertreated condition ... One argument for using 300 ng/dl as the threshold for diagnosing male hypogonadism is that there is a functional correlation with erectile dysfunction (ED). Studying 162 elderly (mean age=64.1 years) men with ED (mean duration=45.6 months), a Korean group reported that hypogonadism (serum TT <300 ng/dl) was among the strongest independent predictors of a poor response to sildenafil 25-100 mg for 8 weeks"
• Alzheimer Patients Treated With Testosterone In UCLA-led Study Show Improved Quality Of Life - Science Daily, 1/10/06 - "Alzheimer patients treated with testosterone showed significant improvement on a quality-of-life instrument that encompasses memory, interpersonal relationships, physical health, energy, living situation and overall well-being compared with patients who received a placebo"
• Testosterone May Ease Alzheimer's - WebMD, 12/12/05 - "testosterone replacement therapy improved the mood, overall well-being, and personal relationships of men with Alzheimer's disease"
• Men With Diabetes Have Less Testosterone? - Physician's Weekly, 11/21/05 - "free testosterone levels below normal were strongly connected to diabetes, and low total testosterone levels were more commonly associated with obesity and central adiposity rather than diabetes"
• Androgens, Insulin Resistance and Vascular Disease in Men - Medscape, 9/8/05 - "Studies in healthy men have shown an inverse correlation between testosterone and insulin levels ... physiological testosterone replacement improves insulin sensitivity ... Insulin resistance also plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension ... hypotestosteronaemia is associated with insulin resistance in men. Testosterone treatment inhibits the hyperinsulinaemia and thus may delay the onset of diabetes mellitus in men or even improve glycaemic control"
• Male Menopause? - Medscape, 7/1/05 - "In my experience, testosterone replacement in men with a physiologic need has not resulted in any negative effects. In fact, I have always been impressed on follow-up visits when men tell me how much better they feel, that their sex drives have increased, and that they feel "like themselves again.""
• Testosterone Replacement a Double-Edged Sword: Impact of supplementation is largely positive, but adverse effects found among men on highest doses - Clinical Psychiatry News, 8/05 - "Testosterone supplementation trims visceral fat, builds skeletal muscle, improves muscle strength, and promotes overall sexual function in healthy older men ... The adverse events included polycythemia, leg edema, and two cases of prostate cancer that may have been indolent prior to the patients' receiving high-dose testosterone ... Abdominal visceral fat, however, increased by 16.6% in the placebo group, and decreased by 6.8% in men taking testosterone—a significant difference between groups"
• Testosterone Replacement Improves Exercise Capacity in Men With CHF - Medscape, 6/8/05 - "Exercise capacity improved significantly in patients who were taking testosterone, but deteriorated in those who were receiving placebo"
• Men With Diabetes, Hypertension, or Hyperlipidemia More Likely to Be Hypogonadal - Doctor's Guide, 5/25/05 - "In men with a history of diabetes, 50% were hypogonadal. In men with a history of hypertension, 42% were hypogonadal, and in those with a history of hyperlipidaemia, 40% were hypogonadal"
• Obesity Is Risk Factor For Aggressive Prostate Cancer - Science Daily, 5/23/05 - "Hormone changes observed with obesity also cause decreased levels of the male hormone testosterone"
• Testosterone May Actually Help Men's Hearts - WebMD, 5/16/05 - "The thickness of the wall of this artery is a predictor of a higher risk of heart disease. The study showed that the wall thickness increased as testosterone levels dropped"
• Hormone Replacement May Fight Aging Frailty - CBS 2 Chicago, 1/26/05 - "Researchers at the University of Southern California say restoring levels of testosterone and growth hormone may help aging seniors avoid frailty"
• Testosterone Deficiency Found In One-Third Of Diabetic Men - Science Daily, 11/29/04 - "The surprisingly high prevalence of low testosterone levels was associated with lower levels of pituitary hormones called gonadotrophins ... The high prevalence of low testosterone in diabetic men is concerning, said Dhindsa, because in addition to lowered libido and erectile dysfunction, the condition is associated with loss of muscle tone, increase in abdominal fat, loss of bone density, and can affect mood and cognition"
• Testosterone Deficiency Found in One-Third of Diabetic Men - Doctor's Guide, 11/29/04
• Low Testosterone Linked With Memory Loss - WebMD, 10/27/04
• Testosterone Deprivation Makes Men Forget - Science Daily, 10/22/04 - "word retention drops sharply after only two minutes among men undergoing testosterone deprivation therapy"
• Testosterone Patch Can Improve Sexual Function in Women - Medscape, 10/11/04 - "Results at 24 weeks showed that TTP therapy significantly increased the frequency of "totally satisfying" sexual episodes compared with placebo (high SHBG level group: 2.1 vs 0.5 episodes/month, P < .0001; ITT group: 1.9 vs 0.5 episodes/month, P < .0001) and compared with baseline"
• Declining Estradiol Levels More Predictive of Fracture Risk Than Low Testosterone in Aging Men - Doctor's Guide, 10/8/04 - "While low levels of free testosterone are a predictor of hip-bone loss, declines in estradiol levels play a stronger role than testosterone"
• Testosterone Loss May Raise Alzheimer's Risk - WebMD, 9/24/04 [Science Daily] - "testosterone levels were significantly lower in the men with Alzheimer's disease compared with the men who did not have the disease ... the findings are significant because only testosterone levels appeared related to Alzheimer's risk ... It protects neurons from injury, and it reduces levels of beta-amyloid, the protein widely implicated as a causal factor in the disease"
• Viagra Plus Testosterone Gel May Treat ED Better - WebMD, 8/6/04
• Viagra (Sildenafil)/Testosterone Gel Combination May Benefit Men Who Fail Treatment with Pill Alone - Doctor's Guide, 8/5/04 - "For men with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone who do not respond to Viagra®* (sildenafil) alone, the supplemental use of AndroGel®** (testosterone gel) improves erectile function and overall sexual satisfaction"
• A New, Independent Risk Factor for Heart Disease - Life Extension Magazine, 8/04 - "In this study, aged men with low free testosterone and low HDL showed more severe coronary blockage ... Artery-protecting HDL can be increased by taking high doses of niacin and chromium, and/or one glass of red wine per day"
• Buccal Testosterone Delivery System Better Than Transdermal - Medscape, 5/28/04 - "Mean serum testosterone concentration during the 24-hour treatment period was 18.74 ± 5.90 nmol/L in the buccal system group and 12.15 ± 5.55 nmol/L in the transdermal patch group (P < .01). In the buccal system group, 97% of patients had average steady-state testosterone concentrations within the physiological range (10.41 - 36.44 nmol/L) compared with 56% in the transdermal patch group ... Striant was approved by the FDA in June 2003"
• High Blood Testosterone Levels Associated With Increased Prostate Cancer Risk - Science Daily, 5/10/04 - "One form of testosterone, called free testosterone, which is biologically active and can actually be used by the prostate, was found to be associated with increased prostate cancer risk"
• Testosterone Gel Is Safe, Effective Long-Term - Medscape, 5/7/04
• AndroGel (Testosterone) Shows Long-Term Benefits, Safety for Men With Hypogonadism - Doctor's Guide, 5/4/04 - "The study results showed significant improvements in mood and sexual performance, motivation and activity soon after initiating testosterone replacement. These improvements were maintained throughout treatment. Lean body mass increased (average of about 3 kg or 6.6 pounds) as early as three months after beginning treatment and was sustained with continuous treatment. Additionally, an increase in muscle strength associated with the increase in lean mass was reported"
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy - Physician's Weekly, 3/8/04 - "there is no compelling evidence whatsoever that TRT in men with low testosterone increases the risk of prostate cancer ... there is really no dispute in the literature that testosterone replacement therapy in hypogonadal men provides improvements in the areas of libido, muscle mass, and bone density. Areas that have shown promise include effects on mood, strength, frailty, cognition, and erectile dysfunction"
• Testosterone Plus Finasteride Improves BMD in Men With Low Testosterone - Medscape, 2/25/04 - "The combination of testosterone (T) and finasteride (F) improves bone mineral density (BMD) in men with low T levels without increasing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels"
• Low Testosterone May Cause Depression - 2/3/04 - "some 30% of men over age 55 have it. Low levels of the hormone can cause symptoms of fatigue, a decreased sex drive, and irritability ...the men with low testosterone were four times more likely to be diagnosed with clinical depression" - [Abstract]
• Low Free Testosterone Levels Linked to Alzheimer's Disease in Older Men - Doctor's Guide, 1/29/04
• Revised Guidelines Address Diagnosing And Treating Hypogonadism in Men - Clinical Psychiatry News, 12/03 - "In addition to decreased sex drive and sexual activity, men with low testosterone levels may exhibit anger, depression, fatigue, and confusion, as well as physical effects such as decreased muscle mass and bone density ... Based on the results of recent studies, the new guidelines state that testosterone replacement often alleviates associated psychological conditions, increases virilization, and optimizes bone density. Recent studies also indicate that the therapy may normalize growth hormone levels in elderly men. Therapy also may decrease cardiac mortality in this population"
• Don't Blame Testosterone for Aggression - WebMD, 11/11/03
• Testosterone Improves Sexual Function in Women With HSDD - Medscape, 10/15/03 - "After 24 weeks, the women in the testosterone group showed a significant increase in the sexual desire score of the PFSF compared with those in the placebo group ... Testosterone therapy also resulted in a statistically significant change versus placebo for each of the following PFSF domains: orgasm, sexual arousal, sexual responsiveness, sexual self-image, and sexual concerns"
• Short-Term Testosterone Therapy May Boost Effectiveness of Viagra - Clinical Psychiatry News, 10/03 - "The study is the first to indicate that men who have low, but not hypogonadal, levels of testosterone and who fail on Viagra can be helped with testosterone supplementation"
• Searching For A Female Viagra - Time Magazine, 9/29/03 - "Nearly 450 women who had lost their ovaries were given either a testosterone patch or a placebo. After six months of treatment, the women on 300 mcg of testosterone a day reported an 81% increase in satisfying sexual activity and a 66% increase in sexual desire"
• High on Testosterone - Newsweek, 9/29/03 - "Besides restoring libido, TRT has been shown to improve bone density and muscle mass. And a small study done at Boston’s McClean Hospital this year suggests that, when used in conjunction with antidepressants, testosterone may improve depression in difficult-to-treat men ... Morgentaler, whose new book, “The Viagra Myth,” explores the social impact of the popular drug, doesn’t think it’s proper to withhold TRT from older men with symptoms of low testosterone because of “theoretical, unproven concerns.”"
• Methyltestosterone/Oestrogen Therapy Improves Sexual Interest in Surgically Menopausal Women - Doctor's Guide, 9/25/03 - "Patients were randomised to receive either combined oral esterified oestrogens and methyltestosterone (EEMT, Estratest Tablets, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) or oral esterified oestrogens alone (EE, two Estratab Tablets, 0.625 mg each) for 8 weeks ... Overall, the researchers observed significantly greater increases in SIQ total score, sexual interest and desire subscale score, and responsiveness scores after 8 weeks of treatment with EEMT as compared to EE therapy"
• Testosterone Measurements in Postmenopausal Women Should Include Both Free Testosterone and SHBG Levels - Doctor's Guide, 9/24/03 - "When evaluating testosterone levels in postmenopausal women, clinicians may need to monitor both free testosterone and SHBG levels, because women who are receiving testosterone therapy can have supraphysiologic serum total T concentration, but normal free T concentrations ... We're already seeing a testosterone patch for women going into phase II/phase III trials so I think we're going to see this treatment to be a common treatment for women in the next 5 years"
• Testosterone Patches Treat Low Sexual Desire in Surgically Menopausal Women - Doctor's Guide, 9/22/03
• FDA Approves Testosterone System - Physician's Weekly, 9/1/03 - "The FDA approved the testosterone buccal system (Striant), which slowly releases testosterone into mucous membranes in the mouth ... testosterone buccal system offers an alternative to testosterone delivered by transdermal patches, topical gels, or injection"
• Men Get Zip With Hormone Shots - CBS News, 7/30/03 - ""About three days after I had the first [testosterone] shot I was kicked right out of my depression," he says. "I was back in the gym again and I had a lot of energy. I felt great."
• Testosterone Increases Libido in Women - WebMD, 6/26/03 - "Half the women were treated for 16 weeks with the low-dose oral estrogen-testosterone combination drug Estratest HS ... By week eight, the testosterone-treated patients had measurable improvements in testosterone levels that put them in the upper normal range, and they reported improved interest in sex. They also reported none of the common side effects of treatment with larger doses of testosterone, such as excessive hair growth and acne" - See Estratest at drugstore.com.
• Men with Borderline Low and Low Baseline Testosterone Benefit Equally from Testosterone Gel (Androgel) - Doctor's Guide, 6/23/03 - "Transdermal testosterone replacement gel (Androgel) improves sexual function, body composition and bone mineral density in men with borderline low testosterone levels almost equal as in men with pretreatment testosterone levels below the normal"
• Androgens Add Muscle Mass, Not Strength - WebMD, 6/20/03 - "those who used androgens along with strength training saw more significant gains in both muscle mass and muscle quality. Their muscles not only got bigger, but they also got a greater increase in strength not attributable to size alone"
• FDA Approves Striant (Testosterone Buccal System), Treatment For Men With a Deficiency or Absence of Testosterone - Doctor's Guide, 6/20/03 - "The controlled- and sustained-release buccal testosterone product (which has the appearance of a small monoconvex tablet) acts by rapidly adhering to the buccal mucosa, the small, natural depression in the mouth where the gum meets the upper lip above the incisor teeth. As it is exposed to saliva the product softens into a gel-like form, which remains comfortably in place over each 12-hour dosing period. The product delivers testosterone through the buccal mucosa, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered directly into the superior vena cava (major blood vessel), bypassing the gastrointestinal system and liver. Striant is able to produce circulating testosterone concentrations in hypogonadal males that approximate physiologic levels seen in healthy young men. Because Striant is available in a single strength, no dose titration is required ... the most frequent adverse events that occurred with an incidence of one percent or greater were: gum or mouth irritation, bitter taste, gum pain, gum tenderness, headache, gum edema, and taste perversion. The majority of the gum-related adverse events were transient and resolved within 1 to 14 days"
• Testim Testosterone Gel Enhances Sexual Motivation and Performance In Males With Hypogonadism - Doctor's Guide, 6/10/03 - "Testim testosterone gel significantly improved sexual performance while also increasing lean body mass without exercise ... Patients treated with Testim also showed greater improvements in lean body mass, spontaneous erections, sexual desire and sexual performance as compared to patients treated with a transdermal patch or placebo ... prostate adverse events with Testim were very low, and similar to placebo"
• Low Testosterone Linked to Heart Disease - WebMD, 5/27/03 - "men with diabetes and very low testosterone levels were more likely to develop plaque in their arteries, which can lead to heart disease and stroke" - [Abstract]
• Free Testosterone Inversely Related to Carotid Atherosclerosis - Medscape, 5/23/03 - "Serum free testosterone is inversely related to carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score (PS) ... There is evidence to suggest that low concentrations of testosterone are associated with an increased risk of CVD in men"
• Improving Erectile Function: Detection, Prevention, and Treatment of ED - PowerPak.com, exp. 4/1/05 - "ED was 82% more likely in men with depression ... Low serum testosterone levels are noted in up to 36% of patients with ED. However, the correction of sexual dysfunction with testosterone replacement therapy alone is poor, with treatment response at approximately 35%" - That may be because testosterone does two things that hinder sexual function.  It decreases HDL cholesterol and it increases estrogen. - Ben
• Testosterone In A Tube - CBS News, 5/19/03
• Tostrex (Testorone) Gel Name Changed To Fortigel - Doctor's Guide, 4/24/03
• Several Options Available for Androgen Replacement Therapy - Doctor's Guide, 4/8/03 - "By restoring them to a eugonadal state, it can increase muscle mass and strength, help maintain bone density, increase cognition and mood, improve libido, sexual function, and a generalized state of well-being ... Studies suggest that bringing a hypogonadal man back to a normal level of testosterone with exogenous androgen does not affect the prostate negatively. "There is essentially no significant change in the PSA [prostate specific antigen], in prostate volume, and in urinary symptoms," ... Side effects of exogenous androgen therapies are mood changes, polycythemia, gynecomastia, exacerbation of sleep apnea, and in some patients, acne" - See my aromatization page for ways that may prevent gynecomastia.
• Testosterone: The Fountain of Youth? - WebMD, 2/26/03 - "Slater says a good trial to determine if testosterone therapy increases the risk of prostate cancer would need a minimum of 6,000 men and would cost in excess of $100 million" - Kind of a worthless article written by anti-anti-aging people that doesn't say much.  I don't know why I included it.  I feel something that the anti-anti-aging people don't understand is that the objective for most people is quality of life, not who dies with the biggest number of years under their belt and those people don't have 30 years to wait for studies to be completed.
• Sex Drive Need a Tune-Up? - Dr. Weil, 2/12/03 - "Those [women] who had the most variability in testosterone levels were two to three times more likely to report decreased libido than those who had the most stable testosterone levels ... Apart from the fluctuations in testosterone levels, the only other factors affecting the female sex drive discovered in this study were depression and having children in the house ... Estratest, a prescription drug combining estrogen and testosterone" - See Estratest at Drugstore.com.
• Testosterone May Boost Efficacy Of Antidepressants in Men - Psychiatric News, 2/7/03
• Testim (Testosterone Gel) Gel For Treatment Of Testosterone Deficiency In Men Now Available In US - Doctor's Guide, 2/4/03 - "Testosterone deficiency can lead to a decline in energy, decreased muscle mass, an increase in abdominal fat, reduced bone density leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis, decreased libido, decreased sexual function and impotence, anemia, fatigue, and depression ... patients reported a 59 percent increase in sexual activity and a 78 percent increase in days with a spontaneous erection over a 90-day period. Patients also showed an average increase of 3.5 pounds in muscle mass in 90 days with no weight training and without overall weight gain. Initial analysis of long-term data suggests that Testim improves bone mineral density ... For additional information, visit http://www.auxilium.com" - Related article:
  • Newly Approved Drug Therapies (810): Testim, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals - centerwatch.com - "Side Effects ... Gynecomastia" - See my aromatization page.  I've been taking 1/4 mg of Femara per day via International Anti-aging Systems.  Another option might be chrysin plus Bioperine to increase absorption.
• Testosterone Replacement Therapy Faces Scrutiny - Intelihealth, 1/30/03
• Regular Periods Don't Rule Out Low Testosterone - Clinical Psychiatry News, 1/03 - "Physicians who see young women complaining of low libido should consider that the problem could be low testosterone even if the women have regular menstrual periods"
• Should Men Get HRT for Heart Health? - WebMD, 1/15/03 - "twice as many men with heart disease have low testosterone levels compared with men without heart disease. In fact, low testosterone is linked to a number of risk factors for heart disease ... if male rabbits have too little testosterone, they develop more atherosclerosis [hardening of the arteries] than animals with normal testosterone"
• Testosterone Gel Helpful in Refractory Depression - Medscape, 1/15/03
• Testosterone Gel Could Help Depressed Men With Low Testosterone Levels - Doctor's Guide, 1/8/03
• Testosterone May Help Depressed Men - WebMD, 1/3/03 - "nearly half of the men who had not responded to conventional depression treatment had low or low-to-normal testosterone levels. And several showed dramatic improvement when the male hormone was given along with antidepressants"
• Testosterone for 6 Weeks Helps Some Women With Sexual Dysfunction - Clinical Psychiatry News, 12/02 - "Women with sexual dysfunction whose free testosterone levels are in the bottom third of the normal range or below normal should be considered for a 6-week trial of androgen replacement therapy ... A total of 25 patients in the series had a good response, 8 had no response, 8 refused the therapy, and 9 were lost to follow-up"
• Auxilium Receives U.S. FDA Approval to Market Testim™ Testosterone Replacement Gel - Doctor's Guide, 11/1/02 - "Testim is approved for use in treating men with low testosterone levels ... Abnormally low levels of testosterone are linked to a decline in energy, decreased muscle mass, reduced bone density, decreased libido and sexual function, fatigue and depression"
• Extending Healthspan: Hormones, Supplements, Diet and Exercise - Life Extension Magazine, 10/02 - "Finally, the authors note that testosterone is an excellent antidepressant. It restores good mood, self-confidence and sociability, often making antidepressants such as Prozac no longer necessary. “Grumpy old men” are those with testosterone deficiency" - See Forever Ageless at Amazon.com
• Pharmacy Compounding Prone to Error, FDA Finds - Doctor's Guide, 9/24/02 - "More than half had less than 70 percent of the potency stated on labelling" - That's why I worry about compounded testosterone. - Ben
• Testosterone supplementation provides additional BMD gains in hypogonadal men following cardiac transplantation - Doctor's Guide, 9/23/02 - "hypogonadal men who received additional testosterone supplementation showed the largest increases in BMD [bone mineral density]"
• Testosterone Deficiency & Depression, Does DHEA Raise the Levels of Bioavailable Testosterone in Men? - Life Extension Magazine, 8/02 - "Some men on testosterone drug replacement therapy develop dangerously high estrogen levels. Estrogen can be suppressed by taking an aromatase-inhibiting drug like Arimidex (0.5 mg twice a week)"
• Decreased Testosterone Levels Linked to Sleep Disorder - Doctor's Guide, 7/25/02 - "Male patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) -- the inability to breathe properly during sleep -- produce lower levels of testosterone, resulting in decreased libido and sexual activity"
• Testosterone-Induced Muscle Growth Linked To Muscle Fibre Hypertrophy - Doctor's Guide, 7/17/02
• Testosterone Supplementation Contraindicated after Prostate Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 7/10/02
• Insulin Resistance Tied to Low Testosterone in Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/24/02 - "Men who are insulin resistant are also more likely to have reduced testosterone secretions"
• Low-Dose Testosterone Replacement Safe, Effective - Medscape, 6/24/02 - "Since 1993, the subjects received intramuscular testosterone cypionate or testosterone enanthate, 25 mg weekly or 50 mg every 2 weeks ... Treatment had significant benefits on lipid metabolism, osteoporosis, muscle mass, fat distribution, libido, and sense of well-being, with a good safety profile ... The safety of low-dose testosterone for MHRT and [for] preventing rapid progression of dementia appears to be encouraging"
• Buccal Tablet Provides More Convenient Testosterone Dosing - Doctor's Guide. 6/24/02
• Testosterone Replacement May Disturb Sleep in Older Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/23/02
• Testosterone Therapy Improves Exercise Ability of Men with Chronic Congestive Heart Failure - Doctor's Guide, 6/21/02 - "After 12 weeks, the testosterone group achieved a 34 percent increase in exercise capacity compared to 2 percent for the control group ... In addition, the testosterone treatment improved depression and heart failure symptoms while causing few side effects"
• Oral Androgen Oxandrin (Oxandrolone) Increases Strength and Functioning in Elderly Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/20/02 - "Treatment with an oral androgen can significantly increase muscle strength and power in men over 60 years ... There's a lot of potential here ... The goal is to help people age in a much better fashion as the average life span is going up"
• Refractory Nonmotor Symptoms in Male Patients With Parkinson Disease Due to Testosterone Deficiency: A Common Unrecognized Comorbidity - Archives of Neurology, 5/02 - "Following testosterone replacement therapy, all 5 patients experienced significant improvements in their refractory nonmotor symptoms"
• Female Sexual Dysfunction, Thyroid Trouble May Be to Blame - WebMD, 3/21/02 - "she has seen no published studies evaluating the frequency of thyroid disease in women with sexual dysfunction issues ... But, with the exception of sexual issues related to menopause, I see it more often than anything else in my female patients" - I'm a male but I know that a few micrograms of T3 (liothyronine/Cytomel) plus T4 (levothyroxine/Synthroid) did a heck of a lot more than testosterone replacement.
• Oestrogen-Androgen Replacement Significantly Benefits Postmenopausal Women - Doctor's Guide, 4/26/02 - "Compared with oestrogen alone, oestrogen-androgen significantly increased total lean body mass and reduced the percentage fat for all body parts ... There was a statistically significant increase in weight in the oestrogen-androgen group (2.7 ± 5.1 lb.) (1.22 ± 2.31 kg.) compared with the oestrogen only group ... In self-reporting questionnaires, women who received oestrogen-androgen noted more improvement in sexual functioning and quality of life than the women who received oestrogen alone"
• Low Testosterone and the Brain - WebMD, 4/17/02 - "New research suggests the male hormone may help men reduce their risk of stroke as well as improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease ... When the five patients studied received testosterone replacement therapy, researchers found symptoms such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, and sexual function improved greatly"
• Testosterone Aids Cognition in Older Men - Doctor's Guide, 4/16/02 - "The men in the study with higher levels of bioavailable testosterone, the testosterone that can reach the brain, did significantly better on these cognitive tests than men with lower levels ... men have higher levels of both estrogen and testosterone than women" - On that second statement, I believe them meant older men.  See:
  • Male Hormone Modulation Therapy  - Life Extension Magazine, 11/99 - "One cause of hormone imbalance in men is that their testosterone is increasingly converted to estrogen. One report showed that estrogen levels of the average 54-year-old man are higher than those of the average 59-year-old woman . . . . High levels of estrogen have been implicated as a cause of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)" - See my chrysin and I3C page about how of protect against this.
• Endogenous Hormones Might Lower Atherosclerosis Risk in Some Older Women - Doctor's Guide, 4/1/02 - "the researchers found no association between the odds of atherosclerosis and increasing quartiles of estrone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate or androstenedione ... Compared with participants in the lowest quartile of sex hormone-binding globulin, those in the highest quartile had significantly lower odds of atherosclerosis. Participants in the highest quartile of total testosterone also had lower odds of atherosclerosis"
• High Blood Pressure Kills Sex - WebMD, 3/21/02 - "the problem may not be with blood flow alone. New research suggests plummeting levels of the male hormone testosterone could partly be to blame"
• Testosterone May Help Fight Alzheimer's - Intelihealth, 1/25/02 - "There is increasing evidence that stress plays a role in the development of Alzheimer's ... Hormones such as testosterone have been shown to regulate the brain's stress response ... stress leads to a biochemical change in a brain protein, which is a primary culprit in Alzheimer's disease ... his findings suggest that giving testosterone to aging men or to postmenopausal women may help to delay, prevent and possibly treat Alzheimer's disease. The research was supported by the Alzheimer's Association"
• Power Lifts Urged For Older Men - Intelihealth, 11/19/01 - "Older men with low levels of testosterone can literally haul themselves away from frailty by combining supplemental doses of the male sex hormone with fast-movement weight training ... At the end of the year, both exercise groups had improved, but lifters who got testosterone supplements improved more. The exercise-plus-supplement group had raised performance by close to sixfold, while the exercise-alone group had improved by almost fivefold"
• Caution Urged in Treating Andropause with Testosterone - Doctor's Guide, 10/5/01
• Testosterone Leads to Improvements in Lean Mass for Men with Pulmonary Disease - Doctor's Guide, 9/25/01
• Is It Male Menopause? - WebMD, 7/13/01 - "those who got testosterone had significant improvements in a test of spatial memory ... They also had improvements in verbal memory ... Probably the most important area where it can help is with prevention of osteoporosis ... Probably the most important area where it can help is with prevention of osteoporosis"
• Testosterone Levels Correlated With Bone Density in Anorexics - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/01
• Testosterone Decreases Good Cholesterol But Does Not Influence Other Atherogenic Markers - Doctor's Guide, 6/21/01
• What You Eat Can Affect Sex Hormones, Testosterone Level Drops After Low-Fat Meal, May Protect Against Cancer - WebMD, 5/17/01 - "studied 15 healthy men 2-6 hours after eating four different types of meals under similar conditions. All meals contained the same number of calories, but differed in type of protein and in quantity and type of fat ... After low-fat meals of tofu or lean meat, but not after meals high in animal fat, testosterone and another index of male hormone levels dropped. Adding unsaturated vegetable oil to the lean meat meal didn't change the effect on lowering male hormones"
• Unisex Hormones?, Testosterone, DHEA May Help Both Sexes - WebMD, 5/4/01 - "Low levels of male hormones probably account for decreased muscularity, sexual interest, and bone density in menopausal women ... a 50 mg dose of DHEA each day enhanced sexual interest and satisfaction in aging women, while promoting stronger bones and younger-looking skin"
• Aromatase Inhibition Corrects Endocrinopathy In Infertile Men - Doctor's Guide, 4/9/01 - "investigators found that men with severe infertility had significantly lower testosterone (328 versus 543 ng/dl) and significantly higher oestradiol (58.4 versus 43.5 ng/l) than the fertile controls. As a result, the infertile men had much lower testosterone-to-oestradiol ratios ... These abnormalities were corrected in the 45 men who received testolactone and their testosterone-to-oestradiol ratios rose into the normal range"
• Is a Male 'Change of Life' Fact or Fiction? - WebMD, 10/20/00 - "A very small drop in testosterone -- 10% or so -- might cause symptoms like depression, mood swings, decreased muscle strength and energy, reduced sex drive, problems with erections."
• Male Hormone Gives Pain Relief to Some Men With Angina - WebMD, 10/16/00
• Testosterone supplements are hot, but will they really warm up your sex life? - WebMD, 10/16/00
• Youth for Sale, Antiaging Patients Looking, Feeling Good -- But Long-Term Safety Unknown - WebMD, 10/13/00
• Testosterone patch improves sexual function in women, study shows - CNN, 9/7/00
• Testosterone: It's Not Just for Men Anymore - WebMD, 9/6/00
• Testosterone Gel Increases Bone Mineral Density In Hypogonadal Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/23/00
• AndroGel (Testosterone) Improves Sexual Function and Strength In Testosterone Deficient Men - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/00
• Endocrinologists Highlight Importance of Appropriate Diagnosis, Treatment of Low Testosterone - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/00
• Low Dose Testosterone Aids Men With Chronic Stable Angina - Doctor's Guide, 6/22/00 - "men who had taken the low dose testosterone had overall better results in terms of social functioning, emotional well-being related to their heart condition, mental health and their general perception of their health."
• After 40, Dropping Testosterone Levels May Affect Health - Intelihealth, 4/25/00
• FDA Approves Prescription AndroGel For Low Testosterone - Doctor's Guide, 2/29/00
• Keep Testosterone In Balance - WebMD, 1/5/00
• Testosterone Therapy Effective For Men With Osteoporosis - Doctor's Guide, 11/17/99
• Testosterone Levels Not Really Linked To Sex Drive - Dr. Dean, 8/24/99
• My Testosterone Level Is Low. Will Injections Help Me? - Dr. Dean, 8/17/99
• Androgen Therapy Helps Increase Muscle Mass, Decreases Adipose Tissue - Doctor's Guide, 6/14/99
• Combined Hormone Therapy Increases Muscle, Decreases Fat In Postmenopausal Women - Doctor's Guide, 6/14/99
• Testosterone Is Mixed Blessing To Men's Health - Doctor's Guide, 5/19/99
• Antidepressant-Induced Sexual Dysfunction Associated with Low Serum Free Testosterone - Dr. Alan Cohen
• Testosterone Decreases Fatigue, Improves Mood In Men With HIV, Says Study - Doctor's Guide, 8/17/98
• Testosterone Improves Quality Of Life In Men With AIDS Wasting Syndrome - Doctor's Guide, 7/2/98
• Testosterone Patches Restore Hormone Blood Levels To Normal Range - Doctor's Guide, 6/26/98
• Low Testosterone in Men is Harmful - DrMirkin.com, 4/16/98
• Testoderm Patch Now Available For Testosterone Deficiency - Doctor's Guide, 3/11/98
• Testoderm Patch Cleared In U.S. For Testosterone Deficiency - Doctor's Guide, 12/19/97
• SEPA Testosterone Transdermal Gel Receives IND Application by FDA - Doctor's Guide, 12/15/97
• Stress Lowers Sperm Count By Overwhelming Cells That Make Testosterone - Doctor's Guide, 11/24/97
• Testosterone Levels Early In Life May Determine Later Risk Of Prostate Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 10/16/97
• Testosterone Supplements for Andropausal Men of No Benefit - Doctor's Guide, 9/3/97
• Low Testosterone Levels in Men May Mask Presence of Prostate Cancer - Doctor's Guide, 12/17/96

Abstracts:

• Association of sex hormones and C-reactive protein levels in men - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2009 Sep 21 - "A robust, inverse dose-response correlation between testosterone and SHBG levels with CRP levels provides further evidence of a potential role of androgens in inflammatory processes"
• The relationship of serum and salivary cortisol levels to male sexual dysfunction as measured by the International Index of Erectile Function - Int J Impot Res. 2009 May 7 - "testosterone (T) and cortisol (F) ... (Total-T, Free-T, Bioavailable-T, Total-F and Bioavailable-F) and salivary hormones (Saliva-T and Saliva-F) ... International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) ... Free-T and Bioavailable-T showed significant inverse correlations with age (P<0.01). In the group not taking antidepressants, the levels of Bioavailable-F and Saliva-F showed significant inverse correlations with a portion of the IIEF score (P<0.05). However, reductions in Bioavailable-T and Saliva-T showed no association with the IIEF score. In the group taking antidepressants, these hormone levels showed no correlation with IIEF"
• Effect of testosterone replacement therapy on arterial stiffness in older hypogonadal men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2009 Jan 27 - "pulse wave velocity (PWV) ... Male hypogonadism is associated with increased PWV, which is rapidly but incompletely ameliorated by normalization of circulating testosterone levels"
• Testosterone Gel Monotherapy Improves Sexual Function of Hypogonadal Men Mainly Through Restoring Erection: Evaluation by IIEF Score - Urology. 2008 Dec 30 - "After 3 months of testosterone gel therapy for the hypogonadal men, the most beneficial effect on sexual function was erectile function, with sexual desire and orgasmic satisfaction insignificantly affected. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study have shown that transdermal testosterone gel treatment for hypogonadal patients can improve their sexual dysfunction mainly through restoring erectile function"
• The Dark Side of Testosterone Deficiency: II. Type 2 Diabetes & Insulin Resistance - J Androl. 2008 Sep 4 - "Low testosterone precedes elevated fasting insulin, glucose, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) values and may even predict the onset of diabetes. Treatment of prostate cancer patients with surgical or medical castration exacerbates IR and glycemic control, strengthening the link between testosterone deficiency and onset of type-2 diabetes and IR. Androgen therapy of hypogonadal men improves insulin sensitivity, fasting glucose and Hemoglobin A1c levels. We suggest that androgen deficiency is associated with IR, T2D and MetS, and increased visceral fat deposition, which serves as an endocrine organ, producing inflammatory cytokines thus promoting endothelial dysfunction and vascular disease"
• Prevalence of low male testosterone levels in primary care in Germany: cross-sectional results from the DETECT study - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Aug 7 - "Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, intake of six or more drugs, acute inflammation, and non-smoking were associated with hypogonadal testosterone levels. Higher age, liver diseases, and cancer were associated with very low testosterone levels (<1.0 ng/ml) ... Hypogonadal testosterone levels are common in primary care, particularly in patients with the above conditions"
• Healthier lifestyle predicts higher circulating testosterone in older men. The Health In Men Study - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Aug 7 - "In men >65 years old, higher lifestyle score reflecting greater engagement in healthy behaviours predicts higher subsequent total testosterone and SHBG levels. This relationship appears cumulative and may reflect interaction between lifestyle and insulin sensitivity. Successfully promoting healthy behaviours in older men could ameliorate the age-related decline in circulating testosterone"
• Testosterone therapy in hypogonadal men and potential prostate cancer risk: a systematic review - Int J Impot Res. 2008 Jul 17 - "Of studies that met inclusion criteria, none demonstrated that testosterone therapy for hypogonadism increased prostate cancer risk or increased Gleason grade of cancer detected in treated vs untreated men"
• Relationship of sex steroid hormones with bone mineral density in a nationally-representative sample of men - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 May 14 - "Men in the lowest quartile of free estradiol had 70% increased odds (OR=1.69, 95% CI 0.95-2.98) of osteopenia compared with men in the highest quartile. Men in the lowest quartile of free testosterone had nearly four times the odds of osteopenia than those in the highest quartile (OR=3.82; 95% CI 1.87-7.78). Lower concentrations of SHBG appeared protective against osteopenia (p-trend=0.01). Neither total testosterone nor total estradiol was associated with BMD, although men with clinically low estradiol (<20 ng/l) had lower BMD (0.930 g/cm(2), 95% CI 0.88-0.98) than men with normal-range estradiol (1.024 g/cm(2), 1.01-1.04; p=0.004"
• Testosterone treatment in elderly men with subnormal testosterone levels improves body composition and BMD in the hip - Int J Impot Res. 2008 May 15 - "Men with subnormal testosterone had significantly higher weight, fat mass and abdominal adipose tissue. They also had significantly higher glucose and insulin levels, and they had higher triglyceride levels. Testosterone treatment had a large impact on body composition with reduced fat mass and abdominal adipose tissue and increased fat-free mass, but it did not affect weight and glucose and lipid metabolism. Bone mineral density in the hip was significantly higher after the testosterone treatment. Older men with subnormal testosterone levels had an unfavorable metabolic profile. Testosterone treatment improved body composition, but it did not reverse the unfavorable metabolic profile"
• Low Testosterone Levels are Common and Associated with Insulin Resistance in Men with Diabetes - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Mar 4 - "Testosterone deficiency is common in men with diabetes, regardless of the type. Testosterone levels are partly influenced by insulin resistance, which may represent an important avenue for intervention"
• Low free testosterone concentration as a potentially treatable cause of depressive symptoms in older men - Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008 Mar;65(3):283-9 - "Participants with depression had significantly lower total and free testosterone concentrations than nondepressed men (P < .001 for both). However, they were also more likely to smoke and to have low educational attainment, a body mass index categorized as obese, a Mini-Mental State Examination score less than 24, a history of antidepressant drug treatment, and greater concurrent physical morbidity. After adjusting for these factors and for age, men with depression were 1.55 (95% CI, 0.91-2.63) and 2.71 (95% CI, 1.49-4.93) times more likely to have total and free testosterone concentrations, respectively, in the lowest quintile"
• Low testosterone level is an independent determinant of endothelial dysfunction in men - Hypertens Res. 2007 Nov;30(11):1029-34 - "a low plasma testosterone level was associated with endothelial dysfunction in men independent of other risk factors, suggesting a protective effect of endogenous testosterone on the endothelium"
• Testosterone, diabetes mellitus, and the metabolic syndrome - Curr Urol Rep. 2007 Nov;8(6):467-71 - "One third of men with type 2 diabetes mellitus are now recognized as testosterone deficient. Emerging evidence suggests that testosterone therapy may be able to reverse some aspects of metabolic syndrome"
• Effects of androgen deprivation on glycaemic control and on cardiovascular biochemical risk factors in men with advanced prostate cancer with diabetes - Aging Male. 2007 Dec;10(4):189-96 - "In men with insulin-dependent diabetes, androgen deprivation therapy may have negative effects on their glycaemic control and may aggravate the biochemical risk profile of cardiovascular disease to which diabetics are predisposed. These observations are in agreement with the emerging role of low levels of testosterone in metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance"
• Erectile dysfunction is associated with low bioactive testosterone levels and visceral adiposity in men with type 2 diabetes - Int J Androl. 2007 Nov;30(6):500-7 - "ED is associated with low bioavailable and free testosterone levels, age, visceral adiposity and hypertension in type 2 diabetic men"
• Low Serum Testosterone Concentration in Middle-aged Men with Type 2 Diabetes - Endocr J. 2007 Nov 12 - "serum free testosterone concentration is certainly lower in a relatively large number of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes compared with healthy men with each decade of life between 40 and 69 years old"
• Efficacy of changing testosterone gel preparations (Androgel or Testim) among suboptimally responsive hypogonadal men - Int J Impot Res. 2007 Sep 27 - "Changing from Androgel to Testim offers hypogonadal men the potential for improved clinical and biochemical responsiveness"
• Higher serum free testosterone is associated with better cognitive function in older men, while total testosterone is not. The Health In Men Study - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2007 Sep 20 - "In community-dwelling older men, serum free testosterone >/= 210 pmol/l is associated with better cognitive performance"
• Serum testosterone level and related metabolic factors in men over 70 years old - J Endocrinol Invest. 2007 Jun;30(6):451-8 - "total testosterone is lower in elderly men with metabolic syndrome"
• Low serum testosterone in men is inversely associated with non-fasting serum triglycerides: The Tromsø study - Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2007 Jun 7 - "a linear increase in serum TG levels was found in men with total testosterone levels below the 50th percentile during the day (p for trend=0.004). In contrast, serum triglycerides did not change during the day in men with testosterone levels above the 50th percentile. In regression analyses, total testosterone and SHBG were inversely and independently associated with TG (p<0.001 and p<0.001 respectively), and positively and independently associated with HDL"
• The association of sex hormone levels with quantitative ultrasound, bone mineral density, bone turnover and osteoporotic fractures in older men and women - Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2007 Jun 6 - "oestradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) ... Low levels of bioE2 and bioT were found to be associated with high bone turnover, low QUS and BMD and high risk of osteoporotic fractures in both men and women"
• Serum androgens and prostate cancer among 643 cases and 643 controls in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - Int J Cancer. 2007 May 18 - "After adjustment for potential confounders, there was no significant association with overall risk for prostate cancer for serum total or free testosterone concentrations (highest versus the lowest thirds: OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.73-1.41 and OR, 1.07, 95% CI, 0.74-1.55, respectively) or for other androgens or SHBG"
• Effects of Two Years of Testosterone Replacement on Insulin Secretion, Insulin Action, Glucose Effectiveness, Hepatic Insulin Clearance and Postprandial Glucose Turnover in Elderly Men - Diabetes Care. 2007 May 11 - "two years of treatment of elderly men with testosterone does not improve carbohydrate tolerance nor does it alter insulin secretion, insulin action, glucose effectiveness, hepatic insulin clearance or the pattern of postprandial glucose metabolism. Thus testosterone deficiency is unlikely to be the cause of the age associated deterioration in glucose tolerance commonly observed in elderly men"
• The effect of testosterone replacement therapy on adipocytokines and C-reactive protein in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes - Eur J Endocrinol. 2007 May;156(5):595-602 - "There was a significant inverse correlation between baseline IL-6 and total testosterone (r=-0.68; P=0.002) and bioavailable testosterone levels (r=-0.73; P=0.007). CRP levels also correlated significantly with total testosterone levels (r=-0.59; P=0.01). Testosterone treatment reduced leptin (-7141.9 +/- 1461.8 pg/ml; P=0.0001) and adiponectin levels (-2075.8 +/- 852.3 ng/ml; P=0.02). There was a significant reduction in waist circumference"
• Testosterone use in men with sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials - Mayo Clin Proc. 2007 Jan;82(1):20-8 - "Testosterone use in men is associated with small improvements in satisfaction with erectile function and moderate improvements in libido"
• Androgens and Diabetes in Men: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) - Diabetes Care. 2007 Feb;30(2):234-8 - "Low free and bioavailable testosterone concentrations in the normal range were associated with diabetes, independent of adiposity"
• Association between hormones and metabolic syndrome in older italian men - J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006 Dec;54(12):1832-8 - "Total testosterone and SHBG are negatively and leptin is positively associated with MS in older men"
• Effects of modest testosterone supplementation and exercise for 12 weeks on body composition and quality of life in elderly men - Eur J Endocrinol. 2006 Dec;155(6):867-75 - "Modest testosterone supplementation to elderly men with relative testosterone insufficiency improved quality of life when accompanied by an exercise program"
• Effect of Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Prostate Tissue in Men With Late-Onset Hypogonadism: A Randomized Controlled Trial - JAMA, 11/15/06 - "These preliminary data suggest that in aging men with late-onset hypogonadism, 6 months of TRT normalizes serum androgen levels but appears to have little effect on prostate tissue androgen levels and cellular functions"
• Testosterone therapy for men at risk for or with history of prostate cancer - Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2006 Sep;7(5):363-9 - "Although still controversial, there appears to be little reason to withhold TRT from men with favorable outcomes after definitive treatment for PCa"
• The Age Related Decrease in Testosterone is Significantly Exacerbated in Obese Men With the Metabolic Syndrome. What are the Implications for the Relatively High Incidence of Erectile Dysfunction Observed in These Men? - J Urol. 2006 Oct;176(4):1524-8 - "testosterone decreased with increasing body mass index ... men with obesity and the metabolic syndrome have a significant decrease in total serum testosterone levels compared to aging, metabolically healthy men. These data suggest that the well established association between erectile dysfunction and pre-diabetes/diabetes (particularly in obese pre-diabetic/diabetic patients) may involve a hormonal component"
• Low Serum Testosterone and Mortality in Male Veterans - Arch Intern Med, 8/14/06 - "Mortality in men with normal testosterone levels was 20.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16.2%-24.1%) vs 24.6% (95% CI, 19.2%-30.0%) in men with equivocal testosterone levels and 34.9% (95% CI, 28.5%-41.4%) in men with low testosterone levels"
• Testosterone levels in men with erectile dysfunction - BJU Int. 2006 Jun;97(6):1278-83 - "The frequency of hypogonadism is higher when free testosterone levels are used for diagnosis. The total and free testosterone levels were not related to the level of sexual desire in men with ED. The free testosterone levels could be related to the quality and frequency of nocturnal erections, and when ED is more severe, it is more probable that free testosterone levels are below the 'normal' limit"
• Testosterone replacement therapy improves insulin resistance, glycaemic control, visceral adiposity and hypercholesterolaemia in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes - Eur J Endocrinol. 2006 Jun;154(6):899-906 - "Testosterone replacement therapy reduces insulin resistance and improves glycaemic control in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes. Improvements in glycaemic control, insulin resistance, cholesterol and visceral adiposity together represent an overall reduction in cardiovascular risk"
• Does testosterone have a role in erectile function? - Am J Med. 2006 May;119(5):373-82 - "in most men circulating levels of testosterone, well below the normal range, are essential for normal erection and that higher levels of serum testosterone may not have major impact on erectile function"
• Adjunctive use of AndroGel (testosterone gel) with sildenafil to treat erectile dysfunction in men with acquired androgen deficiency syndrome after failure using sildenafil alone - Urology. 2006 Mar;67(3):571-4 - "At week 16, almost all (22 of 24, 92%) of the men reported improved potency with combination therapy. Improvement in erection quality was also observed"
• Hypogonadism and metabolic syndrome:: implications for testosterone therapy - J Urol. 2005 Sep;174(3):827-34 - "Hypogonadism is likely a fundamental component of metabolic syndrome. Testosterone therapy may not only treat hypogonadism, but may also have tremendous potential to slow or halt the progression from metabolic syndrome to overt diabetes or cardiovascular disease via beneficial effects on insulin regulation, lipid profile and blood pressure. Furthermore, the use of testosterone to treat metabolic syndrome may also lead to the prevention of urological complications commonly associated with these chronic disease states, such as neurogenic bladder and erectile dysfunction"
• Letrozole normalizes serum testosterone in severely obese men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism - Diabetes Obes Metab. 2005 May;7(3):211-5 - "Six weeks of treatment decreased serum estradiol from 120 +/- 20 to 70 +/- 9 pmol/l (p = 0.006). None of the subjects developed an estradiol level of less than 40 pmol/l. LH increased from 4.5 +/- 0.8 to 14.8 +/- 2.3 U/l (p < 0.001). Total testosterone rose from 7.5 +/- 1.0 to 23.8 +/- 3.0 nmol/l (p < 0.001) without a concomitant change in sex hormone-binding globulin level. Those treated with Letrozole 17.5 mg per week had an excessive LH response" - Note:  A half tablet per day would be 8.75 mg/week.  I believe 40 pmol/l of estradiol is 11.54 pg/mL and the normal value for men is 10 to 52 pg/mL (Quest says 10 to 50).  The way I read that, testosterone tripled.  I take a half tablet a day of Femara (letrozole).  See Femara at International Anti-aging Systems or Letrozole 2.5mg (Generic Equivalent of Femara 2.5mg ) at OffshoreRx.com.
• Endogenous sex hormones and metabolic syndrome in aging men - J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 May;90(5):2618-23 - "Higher testosterone and SHBG levels in aging males are independently associated with a higher insulin sensitivity and a reduced risk of the metabolic syndrome, independent of insulin levels and body composition measurements, suggesting that these hormones may protect against the development of metabolic syndrome"
• Increased incidence of diagnosed depressive illness in hypogonadal older men - Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Feb;61(2):162-7
• Free testosterone plasma levels are negatively associated with the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery in overweight and obese glucose-tolerant young adult men - Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Jul;27(7):803-7 - "Hypotestosteronemia may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis and increase the risk for CHD in obese men"
• Association between serum testosterone concentration and carotid atherosclerosis in men with type 2 diabetes - Diabetes Care. 2003 Jun;26(6):1869-73
• Testosterone administration to men increases hepatic lipase activity and decreases HDL and LDL size in 3 wk - Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2003 Jun;284(6):E1112-8 - "To determine how HDL-C and LDL-C particles are affected by testosterone administration to eugonadal men, testosterone was administered as a supraphysiological dose (600 mg/wk) for 3 wk to elderly, obese, eugonadal men before elective hip or knee surgery, and lipids were measured by routine methods and by density gradient ultracentrifugation. Hepatic lipase activity increased >60% above baseline levels, and HDL-C, HDL(2), and HDL(3) significantly declined in 3 wk. In addition, the LDL-C peak particle density and the amount of LDL-C significantly increased. Testosterone is therefore a potent stimulator of hepatic lipase activity, decreasing HDL-C, HDL(2), and HDL(3) as well as increasing LDL particle density changes, all associated with increased cardiovascular risk" - The best thing I've found to raise HDL is niacin.  As a comparison, Androgel 1% comes in 2.5 gram and 5 gram packets.  The 5 gram size contains 50 mg of testosterone.  So one per day would be 350 mg per week but the Androgel site claims only 10% is absorbed.  So that would make 35 mg per week.  It doesn't say whether they used the injectable or the gel in this study, which makes it impossible to compare.
• Testosterone Gel Supplementation for Men With Refractory Depression: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial - Am J Psychiatry 160:105-111, January 2003
• Can Sublingual Testosterone Increase Subjective and Physiological Measures of Laboratory-Induced Sexual Arousal? - Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002 May;59(5):465-6
• Bioavailable testosterone and depressed mood in older men: the Rancho Bernardo Study - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999 Feb;84(2):573-7
• Testosterone and frailty - Clin Geriatr Med 1997 Nov;13(4):685-95
• The effect of parenteral testosterone replacement on prostate specific antigen in hypogonadal men with erectile dysfunction - J Urol 1997 Nov;158(5):1775-7
• Outcomes of long-term testosterone replacement in older hypogonadal males: a retrospective analysis - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997 Nov;82(11):3793-6
• Testosterone replacement in older hypogonadal men: a 12-month randomized controlled trial - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997 Jun;82(6):1661-7
• Longitudinal changes in testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone in healthy older men - Metabolism 1997 Apr;46(4):410-3
• Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of a permeation-enhanced testosterone transdermal system in hypogonadal men: influence of application site- -a clinical research center study - J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996 May;81(5):1832-40
• Effects of testosterone replacement therapy in old hypogonadal males: a preliminary study - J Am Geriatr Soc 1993 Feb;41(2):149-52

Where to purchase testosterone:

• drugstore.com

Related Searches:

• Doctor's Guide search of testosterone
• Doctor's Guide (2) search of testosterone
• Intelihealth search of testosterone
• Life Extension Foundation search
• Medline search of testosterone
• Medscape search of testosterone
• The Natural Pharmacist search of testosterone
• Nutrition Science News search
• WebMD search of testosterone

Related Sites:

• Androgel.com
• Auxilium.com
• The Endocrine Society
• The Hormone Foundation
• Hormone Replacement and Testing Links - ACOR
• The Male Andropause - healthy.net

Note:  Some doctors are prescribing testosterone gel (you rub into your arm pits).  I tried it but it made my DHT (bad testosterone) go high.  I also started taking Natures' Way Saw Palmetto Extract, the 320 mg softgels.  That should lower my DHT and 5 alpha reductase.  See http://www.qualitycounts.com/fpsaw.html.  The testosterone gel is available at MedQuest for about $50.

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