Testosterone may not be as bad for men’s hearts as public health authorities have cautioned. The FDA recently warned that men who use testosterone replacement therapy are at higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. But two new studies contradict that conclusion.
Veterans with Low T:
In one study, the records of 83,000 men treated at the VA Hospital in Kansas City between 1999 and 2014 were analyzed. The men had been diagnosed with low levels of testosterone. Some of them had been prescribed replacement therapy to bring the hormone into a normal range.
The average follow-up time was more than 5 years. The scientists found that men whose testosterone levels returned to normal upon treatment were 56 percent less likely to die during follow-up and 24 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack.
The investigators concluded that normalizing testosterone in men helps protect against heart attacks and strokes and appears to prolong life. That should help ease worries about premature death and heart disease from testosterone replacement therapy.
European Heart Journal, online Aug 6, 2015
RCT Results:
Another report covered the results of a randomized controlled trial. More than 300 men with low testosterone levels were randomly assigned to receive testosterone or placebo gel every day for three years.
The investigators measured the thickness of the carotid artery lining as well as the coronary artery calcium score. These measurements were stand-ins for atherosclerosis progression. (We are not convinced these are super substitutes for actually counting heart attacks and strokes, but they are frequently used in research of this sort,)
In this trial, testosterone supplementation made no difference over the three years. Given that neither study supported the FDA’s warning against testosterone, the agency may need to re-evaluate its caution about heart attacks and strokes.
What is your experience with testosterone? Share your story below and please vote on this article at the top of the page. Should you wish to learn more about how to boost your testosterone levels naturally you may find our interview with Dr. John La Puma of significant interest.
