Photo: John Diez

Can testosterone cause a stroke?

sciencedaily.com - Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can increase men's risk of ...

Is losing 15 pounds in 4 weeks healthy?

Petre says. "Every 3 pounds of fat holds 1 pound of water, so losing 15 pounds a month is feasible and safe if done with the proper nutrition and...

Last updated Dec 7, 2022

Who should not take beet root?

Anyone who has low blood pressure or is currently taking blood pressure medication should speak with a healthcare professional before adding beets...

Last updated Dec 7, 2019

Common yard weed melts 60lbs of fat?

Made into a potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favorite beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

Aging men with low testosterone levels who take testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) are at a slightly greater risk of experiencing an ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or myocardial infarction, especially during the first two years of use, reports a study appearing in The American Journal of Medicine, published by Elsevier. The findings confirm concerns voiced by many health agencies about the potential risks associated with the treatment. The study analyzed a large database of electronic medical records of patients enrolled in primary care practices in the United Kingdom and formed a cohort of 15,401 men, aged 45 years or older, with low testosterone levels (hypogonadism). Users of TRT had a 21 percent greater risk of cardiovascular events compared with nonusers, corresponding to an additional 128 events. The increased risk appears to be transient, declining after two years of TRT use, which the investigators attribute to a phenomenon called "depletion of susceptibles." "Our findings show that the use of TRT was associated with an increased risk of stroke, TIAs, or cardiac arrest during the first two years of use," noted Christel Renoux, MD, PhD, Centre for Clinical Epidemiology, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital; and Departments of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, and Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. "There is limited evidence on the long-term clinical benefits of TRT to effectively treat the modestly declining levels of endogenous testosterone levels of aging but healthy men. We strongly recommend that clinicians proceed with caution when considering prescribing TRT and first discuss both the potential benefits and risks with patients." The study specifically aimed to study men with low testosterone levels due to aging and not due to known secondary causes. While reported rates of hypogonadism have remained stable, prescriptions for TRT have soared in the last 20 years, TRT is increasingly prescribed to relieve nonspecific symptoms of aging, such as fatigue and a modest decline in sexual functioning. An interesting finding was that current use of TRT was associated with a decreased risk of overall mortality and past use with an increased risk. While this could indicate some protective effect on mortality, it could also be due to reverse causality, with clinicians discontinuing TRT treatment in patients with deteriorating health. The analysis did have access to the patients' prior histories and was able to adjust for comorbidities. "Further large and methodologically sound observational studies should be conducted to reaffirm these results. Until such time, the potential cardiovascular risk of TRT should be weighed against the perceived and expected benefits among aging men, a perspective that aligns with warnings issued by health agencies," advised Dr. Renoux.

Are overnight oats better than oatmeal?

Another thing is the fact that as opposed to the cooked oatmeals since overnight oatmeals are not boiled they retain more nutrients. Overnight...

Last updated Apr 23, 2020

How do I clean my blood naturally?

The following foods in particular have been shown to positively affect the liver and kidney's ability to cleanse and filter out waste and toxins...

Last updated Aug 28, 2020

Tasty juice “eats through” 54lbs of thick flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is a normal testosterone level by age?

Age-specific middle tertile levels were 409-558 ng/dL for men 20-24 years old, 413-575 ng/dL for 25-29 years old, 359-498 ng/dL for 30-34 years old, 352-478 ng/dL for 35-39 years old, and 350-473 ng/dL for 40-44 years old.

auajournals.org - What Is a Normal Testosterone Level for Young Men? Rethinking the 300 ...

Abstract

Purpose:

There is an age-related decline in male testosterone production. It is therefore surprising that young men are evaluated for testosterone deficiency with the same cutoff of 300 ng/dL that was developed from samples of older men. Our aim is to describe normative total testosterone levels and age-specific cutoffs for low testosterone levels in men 20 to 44 years old.

Materials and Methods:

We analyzed the 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, which survey nationally representative samples of United States residents. Men 20 to 44 years old with testosterone levels were included. Men on hormonal medications, with a history of testicular cancer or orchiectomy, and with afternoon/evening laboratory values were excluded. We separated men into 5-year intervals and evaluated the testosterone levels of each age group, and for all men 20 to 44 years old. We used the American Urological Association definition of a “normal testosterone level” (the “middle tertile”) to calculate age-specific cutoffs for low testosterone levels.

Results:

Our final analytic cohort contained 1,486 men. Age-specific middle tertile levels were 409-558 ng/dL (20-24 years old), 413-575 ng/dL (25-29 years old), 359-498 ng/dL (30-34 years old), 352-478 ng/dL (35-39 years old), and 350-473 ng/dL (40-44 years old). Age-specific cutoffs for low testosterone levels were 409, 413, 359, 352, and 350 ng/dL, respectively.

Conclusions:

Diagnosis of testosterone deficiency has traditionally been performed in an age-indiscriminate manner. However, young men have different testosterone reference ranges than older men. Accordingly, age-specific normative values and cutoffs should be integrated into the evaluation of young men presenting with testosterone deficiency.