Hormone treatment studied in older men

As men age, the level of the male hormone testosterone usually drops. Some older men have levels far below what is normal for a young adult male. Doctors sometimes prescribe hormone treatment for such men to combat challenges they may have with sexual function, bone fractures, and other symptoms. But large, long-term studies of the benefits and risks of hormone treatment haven’t been conducted.

Hormone treatment studied in older men. Image credit: Ahmet Demirel/Wikimedia Commons (PD)

The researchers evaluated hormone treatment for men aged 65 or older who had a low level of testosterone.

Participants received either testosterone gel or placebo gel. They were asked to apply it every day for 12 months. The men weren’t told which gel they were given. Regular blood tests assessed hormone levels.

For those receiving testosterone gel, the dose was adjusted throughout the study period, if needed, to maintain the hormone level of a young man.

The researchers found an increase in bone density and strength among the men who received hormone treatment. However, a larger study over many years will be needed to determine whether increasing testosterone level can reduce a man’s risk of bone fracture.

Another trial assessed whether hormone treatment affects anemia, a condition in which the blood can’t supply enough oxygen to the body, causing fatigue and other symptoms. Anemia is often caused by low numbers of red blood cells. A greater percentage of men taking testosterone were no longer anemic (58%) after 12 months than those taking placebo (22%).

The researchers did not find a significant effect on memory or cognition from hormone treatment. They did find that treatment increased the build-up of plaque in the artery that supplies blood to the heart. Such build-up is associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the clinical implications are unclear. (NIH)

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