Testosterone supplementation did not show consistent benefit for cardiovascular risk , sexual function , mood and behavior , or cognition .
Studies that examined clinical cardiovascular endpoints have not favored testosterone therapy over placebo .
Testosterone is ineffective in treating erectile dysfunction and controlled trials did not show a consistent effect on libido .
Testosterone supplementation consistently increased muscle strength but did not have beneficial effects on physical function .
Most studies on mood-related endpoints found no beneficial effect of testosterone treatment on personality , psychological well-being , or mood .
Testosterone products are recommended by some prescribers in response to a diagnosis or presumption of " low testosterone " ( low-T ) for cardiovascular health , sexual function , muscle weakness or wasting , mood and behavior , and cognition .
Cerebrospinal fluid and behavioral changes after methyltestosterone administration: preliminary findings.
BACKGROUND Anabolic and rogen steroid abuse is associated with multiple psychiatric symptoms and is a significant public health problem . The biological mechanisms underlying behavioral symptom development are poorly understood . SUBJECTS AND METHODS We examined levels of monoamine metabolites , neurohormones , and neuropeptides in the cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF ) of 17 healthy men , at baseline and following 6 days of  methyltestosterone ( MT ) administration  ( 3 days of 40 mg/d , then 3 days of 240 mg/d ) . Subjects received MT or placebo in a fixed sequence , with neither subjects nor raters aware of the order . Potential relationships were examined between CSF measures , CSF MT levels , and behavioral changes measured on a visual analog scale . RESULTS Following MT administration , levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol ( MHPG ) were significantly lower ( mean + /- SD , 103.8 + /- 47 vs 122.0 + /- 50.7 pmol/mL ; P<.01 ) , and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid ( 5-HIAA ) levels were significantly higher ( mean + /- SD , 104.7 + /- 31.3 vs 86.9 + /- 23.6 pmol/mL ; P<.01 ) . No significant MT-related changes were observed in CSF levels of corticotropin , norepinephrine , cortisol , arginine vasopressin , prolactin , corticotropin-releasing hormone , beta-endorphin , and somatotropin release-inhibiting factor . Changes in CSF 5-HIAA significantly correlated with increases in " activation " symptoms ( energy , sexual arousal , and diminished sleep ) ( r = 0.55 ; P = .02 ) . No significant correlation was observed between changes in CSF and plasma MT , CSF MHPG , and behavioral symptoms . CONCLUSIONS Short-term anabolic and rogenic steroid use affects brain neurochemistry , increasing CSF 5-HIAA and decreasing MHPG . Changes in 5-HIAA levels caused by anabolic and rogenic steroids are related to the behavioral changes we observed . In this small sample , we did not observe a significant relationship between behavioral measures and either dose of MT or CSF and plasma levels of MT
Testosterone supplementation did not show consistent benefit for cardiovascular risk , sexual function , mood and behavior , or cognition .
Studies that examined clinical cardiovascular endpoints have not favored testosterone therapy over placebo .
Testosterone is ineffective in treating erectile dysfunction and controlled trials did not show a consistent effect on libido .
Testosterone supplementation consistently increased muscle strength but did not have beneficial effects on physical function .
Most studies on mood-related endpoints found no beneficial effect of testosterone treatment on personality , psychological well-being , or mood .
Testosterone products are recommended by some prescribers in response to a diagnosis or presumption of " low testosterone " ( low-T ) for cardiovascular health , sexual function , muscle weakness or wasting , mood and behavior , and cognition .