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 .
Randomized trial of estrogen plus progestin for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in postmenopausal women. Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS) Research Group.
CONTEXT Observational studies have found lower rates of coronary heart disease ( CHD ) in postmenopausal women who take estrogen than in women who do not , but this potential benefit has not been confirmed in clinical trials . OBJECTIVE To determine if estrogen plus progestin therapy alters the risk for CHD events in postmenopausal women with established coronary disease . DESIGN R and omized , blinded , placebo-controlled secondary prevention trial . SETTING Outpatient and community setting s at 20 US clinical centers . PARTICIPANTS A total of 2763 women with coronary disease , younger than 80 years , and postmenopausal with an intact uterus . Mean age was 66.7 years . INTERVENTION Either 0.625 mg of conjugated equine estrogens plus 2.5 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate in 1 tablet daily ( n = 1380 ) or a placebo of identical appearance ( n = 1383 ) . Follow-up averaged 4.1 years ; 82 % of those assigned to hormone treatment were taking it at the end of 1 year , and 75 % at the end of 3 years . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the occurrence of nonfatal myocardial infa rct ion ( MI ) or CHD death . Secondary cardiovascular outcomes included coronary revascularization , unstable angina , congestive heart failure , resuscitated cardiac arrest , stroke or transient ischemic attack , and peripheral arterial disease . All-cause mortality was also considered . RESULTS Overall , there were no significant differences between groups in the primary outcome or in any of the secondary cardiovascular outcomes : 172 women in the hormone group and 176 women in the placebo group had MI or CHD death ( relative hazard [ RH ] , 0.99 ; 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] , 0.80 - 1.22 ) . The lack of an overall effect occurred despite a net 11 % lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and 10 % higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level in the hormone group compared with the placebo group ( each P<.001 ) . Within the overall null effect , there was a statistically significant time trend , with more CHD events in the hormone group than in the placebo group in year 1 and fewer in years 4 and 5 . More women in the hormone group than in the placebo group experienced venous thromboembolic events ( 34 vs 12 ; RH , 2.89 ; 95 % CI , 1.50 - 5.58 ) and gallbladder disease ( 84 vs 62 ; RH , 1.38 ; 95 % CI , 1.00 - 1.92 ) . There were no significant differences in several other end points for which power was limited , including fracture , cancer , and total mortality ( 131 vs 123 deaths ; RH , 1.08 ; 95 % CI , 0.84 - 1.38 ) . CONCLUSIONS During an average follow-up of 4.1 years , treatment with oral conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate did not reduce the overall rate of CHD events in postmenopausal women with established coronary disease . The treatment did increase the rate of thromboembolic events and gallbladder disease . Based on the finding of no overall cardiovascular benefit and a pattern of early increase in risk of CHD events , we do not recommend starting this treatment for the purpose of secondary prevention of CHD . However , given the favorable pattern of CHD events after several years of therapy , it could be appropriate for women already receiving this treatment to continue
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 .