Kidney stones are common — and painful. Once you have one kidney stone, your risk of developing more increases. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to lower your risk of kidney stone formation. Get our prevention tips here.
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is an effective means of restoring testosterone levels to normal in men who are unable to maintain serum levels on their own. However, controversy surrounds TRT; the FDA has revisited the appropriateness of TRT and many private payers are putting up roadblocks to paying for it. Certainly no one would argue to refrain from replacing thyroid hormone in patients who are hypothyroid or to refrain from administering insulin in insulin dependent diabetics, so how did TRT become so controversial?
TRT, until fairly recently was limited to injection therapy. The medication has been available for decades and was relatively inexpensive and administration into the muscle was somewhat uncomfortable. This may have served to constrain testosterone usage.
The surge in popularity was accompanied by additional research questioning whether there is any increase risk of myocardial infarction or other serious thrombotic events, particularly in elderly men. Enough concern was raised that the FDA revised its guidelines for testosterone replacement. Suddenly, advertisements from attorneys recommending patients sue their physicians for giving them TRT began to outnumber advertisements by Pharma promoting use of the medications.’
Good news for TRT users: A retrospective study from Baylor colleges of Medicine in Houston by Ramasamy et al evaluated the records of 217 men aged 65 years and older. 153 were on TRT. After a mean follow up f of 3.8 years, the researchers observed no difference between the TRT and control groups in the occurrence of heart attack, coronary artery disease or pulmonary embolus. In fact the control group had a significantly higher prevalence of death from any cause when compared to the TRT group.
As time passes, the reality of the consequences of TRT, both beneficial and, harmful (if any) will manifest. Until that time, patients are best advised to perform TRT only under the direction of their physician.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Kidney stones are common — and painful. Once you have one kidney stone, your risk of developing more increases. The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to lower your risk of kidney stone formation. Get our prevention tips here.
Regretting your vasectomy? A vasectomy reversal could be the solution you’re seeking. It’s an outpatient procedure that can be up to 90% effective. Find out more about it and what to expect during recovery.
The prostate is a small gland in the male reproductive system. From how it functions to the importance of regular prostate screenings, find out what you need to know about your prostate health here.
Testosterone is an important male hormone. It influences functions from sex drive and fertility to body weight and mood — but low testosterone is a common problem for many men. Learn the signs of low testosterone and what you can do about it.
Prostate cancer is common, especially among men over age 50. Early stage cancer is the most treatable, but without early symptoms, how is prostate cancer identified? Learn about the importance of regular prostate cancer screenings.
A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of male birth control. But if you’ve had a vasectomy, does that mean you can’t ever father a child? If your family planning goals have changed, vasectomy reversal could be right for you.