Intramuscular testosterone moderately increased lumbar bone density in men ; the results on femoral neck bone density are inconclusive .
Without bone fracture data , the available trials offer weak and indirect inferences about the clinical efficacy of testosterone on osteoporosis prevention and treatment in men
CONTEXT And rogen-deficient men are at increased risk of osteoporosis .
The extent to which testosterone can prevent and treat osteoporosis in men remains unclear .
Pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of a permeation-enhanced testosterone transdermal system in comparison with bi-weekly injections of testosterone enanthate for the treatment of hypogonadal men.
The pharmacokinetics , efficacy , and safety of the And roderm testosterone ( T ) transdermal system ( TTD ) and intramuscular T enanthate injections ( i.m . ) for the treatment of male hypogonadism were compared in a 24-week multicenter , r and omized , parallel-group study . Sixty-six adult hypogonadal men ( 22 - 65 years of age ) were withdrawn from prior i.m . treatment for 4 - 6 weeks and then r and omly assigned to treatment with TTD ( two 2.5-mg systems applied nightly ) or i.m . ( 200 mg injected every 2 weeks ) ; there were 33 patients per group . Twenty-six patients in the TTD group and 32 in the i.m . group completed the study .  TTD treatment produced circadian variations in the levels of total T , bioavailable T , dihydrotestosterone , and estradiol within the normal physiological ranges . i.m . treatment produced supraphysiological levels of T , bioavailable T , and estradiol ( but not dihydrotestosterone ) for several days after each injection . Mean morning sex hormone levels were within the normal range in greater proportions of TTD patients ( range , 77 - 100 % ) than i.m . patients ( range , 19 - 84 % ) . Both treatments normalized LH levels in approximately 50 % of patients with primary hypogonadism ; however , LH levels were suppressed to the subnormal range in 31 % of i.m . patients vs. 0 % of TTD patients . Both treatments maintained sexual function ( assessed by question naire and Rigiscan ) and mood ( Beck Depression Inventory ) at the prior treatment levels . Prostate-specific antigen levels , prostate volumes , and lipid and serum chemistry parameters were comparable in both treatment groups . Transient skin irritation from the patches was reported by 60 % of the TTD patients , but caused only three patients ( 9 % ) to discontinue treatment . i.m . treatment produced local reactions in 33 % of patients and was associated with significantly more abnormal hematocrit elevations ( 43.8 % of patients ) compared with TTD treatment ( 15.4 % of patients ) . Gynecomastia resolved more frequently during TTD treatment ( 4 of 10 patients ) than with i.m . treatment ( 1 of 9 patients ) . Although both treatments seem to be efficacious for replacing T in hypogonadal men , the more physiological sex hormone levels and profiles associated with TTD may offer possible advantages over i.m . in minimizing excessive stimulation of erythropoiesis , preventing/ameliorating gynecomastia , and not over-suppressing gonadotropins
Intramuscular testosterone moderately increased lumbar bone density in men ; the results on femoral neck bone density are inconclusive .
Without bone fracture data , the available trials offer weak and indirect inferences about the clinical efficacy of testosterone on osteoporosis prevention and treatment in men
CONTEXT And rogen-deficient men are at increased risk of osteoporosis .
The extent to which testosterone can prevent and treat osteoporosis in men remains unclear .