Testosterone May Protect Against Hardening Of The Arteries
April 12, 2011 by Dr. Marc Darrow, M.D.
Filed under Heart Health
Testosterone supplementation has received a fair share of “bad press.” Mostly due to health problems (sterility, coronary artery disease, liver damage, and brain tumors), caused in young men and women who should not be taking testosterone supplementation, but do so at super-physiological doses, to enhance athletic performance.
Many physicians also think, based on some medical studies, that the supplementation of testosterone “encourages” atherosclerosis (Hardening of the arteries)
Now, new research says the opposite maybe true, Testosterone may protect you from atherosclerosis.
Publishing in the May 17, 2005 issue of the American College of Cardiology, researchers found that men with low testosterone levels had more arterial thickening in the carotid artery in the neck than men with “normal” testosterone levels.
In my opinion I have found little evidence to support that testosterone supplementation to restore levels lost to aging can cause health problems. Numerous research supports the opposite. Study participants and researchers noted gained muscle, a slowdown in bone loss, increased sexual desire, and better cognitive skills.
Certain Exemptions – When not to take Testosterone supplementation?
Men taking testosterone supplementation should have PSA tests performed twice a year and have an annual manual examination of their prostate gland. No evidence suggests that testosterone supplementation causes prostate cancer. In fact, studies show a higher incidence of prostate cancer in men with a lower baseline level of testosterone. Studies suggest that in the presence of existing prostate cancer, testosterone supplementation may accelerate tumor growth.
