Testosterone replacement therapy has been around for a while, but a new study comes to confirm that restoring the level of the masculine hormone to normal levels in older men through injections, patches or gels may lower their risk of stroke, heart attack, or death from any cause. The study was co-authored by an Indian-origin researcher.
The conclusions of the research have shown that when older men are treated with testosterone replacement therapy but did not attain normal levels the benefits are not the same as for those whose hormone level did reach normal.
This is the first study to prove the significant benefit of adequate dosing for achieving normal testosterone levels, according to Rajat Barute, corresponding author and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Kansas in the U.S. He added that those patients who, after testosterone replacement therapy, failed to achieve the therapeutic range did not see a reduction in stroke or heart attack.
Since its first applications, testosterone therapy was the object of an ongoing debate over its benefits and risks. The findings of the new study come to weight the debate in favor of those who appreciate the benefits of this therapy. Until now, the medical community did not have enough proves to set the debate once and for all. A definitive clinical trial would be necessary to provide clear guidance.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance pointing to a possible increased risk of stroke and heart attack and advising clinicians against the over-use of testosterone therapy. The new study comes to contradict previous beliefs about the risk and benefits of restoring normal testosterone levels in older men.
The research studied data on more than 83,000 men aged 50 or above and having low testosterone levels. The study spread on the period between 1999 and 2014. The participants were divided by researchers into three different clinical groups. Some were treated until their testosterone levels returned to normal, some were untreated, and some were treated but without reaching normal levels.
The findings have shown a sharp contrast between those who were untreated and those who were treated until attained normal testosterone levels. Those aged men who had their hormone level restored to normal were 24 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack, 36 percent less likely to suffer a stroke and 56 percent less likely to die during the follow-up period.
It is still unknown for what reasons testosterone's has apparent benefits for the overall survival rate. According to the researchers, among the possible explanations are insulin sensitivity, body fat, blood platelets, lipids, inflammation and other biological pathways.