Several studies have demonstrated the potential protective effects of TTh in men with a history of prostate cancer. For the past 20 years, our beliefs of TTh have shifted from TTh being dangerous, to being safe, to being potentially therapeutic, and now to being potentially protective against prostate cancer. In fact, many clinicians were taught that TTh was similar to "adding fuel to the fire" to prostate cancer. There is no scientific basis for the belief that a man with a known cause of TD merits treatment but a man without a known cause does not, since in both cases the problem is a deficiency of the same molecule, that is, testosterone. Given the number and scope of new studies showing evidence of clinical benefit of TTh with a very acceptable safety profile, it is difficult to understand the opposition of the FDA to the use of TTh in men without anatomic or selected known causes of TD, which they term "age-related" hypogonadism. In the pages that follow are summaries of evidence showing that TTh has important beneficial effects on several of the most common and costly medical conditions, including metabolic disease and obesity, T2DM, and CV disease. Academic medicine and professional specialty medical organizations place tremendous value on high-quality research studies to create clinical guidelines and recommendations.
This collaborative approach ensures comprehensive men’s health which doctor coordination delivers optimal outcomes. Endocrinologists complete three years of internal medicine residency followed by two to three years of endocrinology fellowship, with some pursuing additional training in andrology services. Andrologists typically complete urology residency plus a one to two-year fellowship in male reproductive medicine.
Think of preventive care appointments like car maintenance. Eating whole, nutritious foods, staying active, limiting alcohol, managing stress and getting routine checkups are all part of your preventive care. When it comes to your health, there’s no such thing as starting too early.
Urologists specialize in urinary tract health and male reproductive organs, treating conditions from benign prostatic hyperplasia to prostate cancer. According to the American Board of Family Medicine, primary care providers coordinate approximately 80% of all healthcare services for their patients as of 2025. Diagnostic care includes care or treatment when you already have symptoms or risk factors and your doctor wants to diagnose them. Although more studies are needed to better understand this protective and therapeutic relationship between TTh and prostate cancer, it is now evident that prostate cancer can no longer be considered a risk of TTh. In a more recent study known as the TRANSFORMER trial, these authors conducted a randomized phase II study comparing BAT versus standard treatment with enzalutamide—a potent agent that interferes with androgen action—in asymptomatic men with castrate-resistant metastatic prostate cancer.24 They found that BAT demonstrated similar time to progression and prostate-specific antigen response.
If you have diabetes, check with your care team before you change your diet or the dose of your diabetic medication. This medication may affect blood sugar levels. Get emergency help if you develop signs or symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. They will need to check the level of testosterone in your blood. Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress.
The report identified three interdependent fields as key determinants of an individual's health. According to the World Health Organization, the main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the physical environment, and the person's individual characteristics and behaviors. It is increasingly recognized that health is maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society. In general, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance for both his health status and quality of life.
Because of circadian variations in testosterone levels, serum testosterone measurement should occur in the morning, or within two hours of awakening in shift workers (Figure 19 ). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration clarified in 2015 that prescribing testosterone for low testosterone levels due to aging constitutes off-label use. Potential benefits of therapy include increased libido, improved sexual function, improved mood and well-being, and increased muscle mass and bone density; however, there is little or mixed evidence confirming clinically significant benefits. Testosterone therapy is increasingly common in the United States, and many of these prescriptions are written by primary care physicians. If you have questions about this medicine, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care provider. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
In addition to primary care services, Aaron also provides psychiatric medication management as part of Zephyr Wellness’s integrated mental health services. The use of testosterone therapy in women is summarized in Table 6.64,65 A comprehensive meta-analysis of post-menopausal women found improvement in sexual function with testosterone therapy. Of note, there is no consensus on the necessity and timing of repeated PSA testing and digital rectal examination for men on testosterone therapy. Based on postmarket reports, in 2014 the FDA required manufacturers of testosterone products to add a warning to the drug label about the risk of venous thromboem-bolism.56 Subsequently, a large case-control study and another large retrospective cohort study found no evidence of increased venous thromboembolism risk.57,58 Development of polycythemia during treatment should lead to cessation of therapy, lowering of the dose, or switching to a lower-risk formulation to avoid increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and venous thromboembolism. Use of supplemental testosterone has been shown to cause a small increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels,52 but the significance of this increase is questionable.