Apart from a loss of erections men lose muscle mass when their testosterone production slows down with older age. At a joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in June of 2014 in Chicago, IL a trial of men with limited mobility was discussed. It was noted that his group of men had a lack of testosterone in blood tests and when testosterone was replaced, the aerobic capacity and muscle mobility improved.
The study was called “Testosterone in Older Men with Mobility Limitation Trial” and involved 64 men with low testosterone. The men received 10 mg of testosterone gel or a placebo gel per day for 6 months. Aerobic function was measured in the beginning and at the end of the trial using cycle exercise tests. Peak oxygen uptake and lactate were measured. The researchers noted that the men who were receiving a placebo showed a reduction in peak oxygen uptake while the men on testosterone increased their exercise function. The lead author, Dr. Thomas W. Storer said that if testosterone was proven safe in the long-term, restoring testosterone to normal levels would be important for the older men to bring back their physical performance and would enhance their quality of life.
Comment: It is known for some time that men lose testosterone production when they enter andropause, the male version of menopause. This can be confirmed with a simple blood test. For many years physicians had a fear of causing cancer by replacing testosterone. But Dr. Morgentaler, a Harvard urologist has shown in his research that this fear was unfounded.
Testosterone Essential For Aging Men
When a person is thyroid deficient, thyroid replacement hormones need to be given; in a person with diabetes where insulin is missing, the doctor prescribes insulin injections. Similar to that a man with testosterone deficiency needs his bioidentical testosterone cream or gel daily to restore testosterone levels. This will restore hair loss, sexual function and muscle strength.
More information on andropause through this link.
Reference:
Joint meeting of the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in June of 2014 in Chicago.
