Testosterone levels in men slowly decline with aging and also decline more abruptly due to medical illness or medications.
Prescriptions for testosterone have increased dramatically over the past decade, since a testosterone-gel formulation was approved and since numerous studies reported an association between low serum testosterone and increased mortality. However, recent observational studies of testosterone treatment have reported conflicting results with some studies reporting decreased risks for mortality while others reported increased mortality risks with testosterone treatment. This paper will summarize recent studies of low serum testosterone and mortality and testosterone treatment and mortality and what the potential implications of these studies are for the clinician.
Written by:
Shores MM. Are you the author?
VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Reference: Curr Sex Health Rep. 2014 Dec 1;6(4):235-243.
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 25685109