Telehealth Sites Promise Cure for ‘Male Menopause’ Despite FDA Ban on Off-Label Ads
Online stores sprang up during the COVID-19 pandemic’s telehealth boom touting testosterone as a cure-all for men’s age-related illnesses — despite FDA rules issued years ago restricting such “low testosterone” advertising. In ads on Google, Facebook, and elsewhere, testosterone telemedicine websites may promise a quick fix for sluggishness and low libido in men. But evidence […]
Mutation Linked to Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer Mortality
The risk of dying of prostate cancer doubled in the presence of a genetic mutation affecting testosterone production, a large prospective cohort study showed. The 5-year risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) increased from 1.7% to as much as 4%, depending on the genotype of the HSD3B1(1245C) allele. In a subgroup of patients with metastatic […]
Fracture Risk Bumped With Testosterone Therapy in Hypogonadal Men
Testosterone treatment didn’t offer protection against fractures in men with hypogonadism, a TRAVERSE subtrial indicated. Compared with placebo, men who were on a testosterone gel actually had a significantly higher risk for fracture (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.04-1.97), found Peter Snyder, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues. During the median 3.19-year […]
Testosterone for Hypogonadism Cleared So Far of Prostate Cancer Risk
Men treated with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for hypogonadism didn’t have an increase in adverse prostate events, the TRAVERSE trial found. Over a mean follow-up of 33 months, those who used topical 1.62% testosterone gel had a 0.19% incidence of high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥4 + 3), similar to the 0.12% among placebo-treated men […]
Iodine Linked With Men’s Testosterone Levels
Lower iodine concentrations in the urine was independently associated with higher testosterone levels, a cross-sectional study found. Looking at nearly 3,000 U.S. men, those with lower urinary iodine concentrations had significantly higher total testosterone levels than men with either normal or high iodine levels (β -0.028, 95% CI -0.049 to -0.006, P=0.01), Arcangelo Barbonetti, PhD, […]
Women with PCOS on keto diet may see improvements in fertility
The ketogenic (keto) diet may lower testosterone levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a new paper published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. PCOS is the most common hormone disorder in women, affecting 7-10% of women of childbearing age. It can cause infertility and raises the risk of developing diabetes, […]
The Wild West of Online Testosterone Prescribing
Online testosterone peddlers are facing uncertainty as federal officials map the future of telemedicine. At stake is whether they’ll be able to continue prescribing testosterone therapy to patients without ever seeing them in person, a pandemic-era freedom that allows men to avoid being seen strolling into “low T” clinics — but one that has also […]
Testosterone Tied to Sustained Weight Loss in Men With Hypogonadism and Obesity
SAN DIEGO — Long-term testosterone therapy was associated with sustained reductions in weight for men with hypogonadism and class III obesity, a researcher reported. In registry data on 76 patients, those who opted to receive testosterone undecanoate experienced a 26% reduction in their body mass index (BMI) over close to a decade of follow-up, reported […]
Good, and Safe, Results Tied to Oral Testosterone in Men With Deficiency
MIAMI — Oral testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) seemed safe and effective in men with testosterone deficiency, according to a meta-analysis. Among nine studies that looked at changes in serum total testosterone, only men with testosterone deficiency who took an oral agent — predominantly testosterone undecanoate — saw a significant increase in total testosterone, with a […]
Low Testosterone Linked to Hospitalization for COVID
Normal testosterone levels in men might be protective against severe COVID-19, a retrospective cohort study suggested. Among 723 men with a mean age of 55, those who had hypogonadism had a higher risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 versus men with eugonadism (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.4, P<0.003), reported Sandeep Dhindsa, MD, of St. Louis University […]