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 .
Testosterone deficiency is associated with increased risk of mortality and testosterone replacement improves survival in men with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE Men with type 2 diabetes are known to have a high prevalence of testosterone deficiency . No long-term data are available regarding testosterone and mortality in men with type 2 diabetes or any effect of testosterone replacement therapy ( TRT ) . We report a 6-year follow-up study to examine the effect of baseline testosterone and TRT on all-cause mortality in men with type 2 diabetes and low testosterone . RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 581 men with type 2 diabetes who had testosterone levels performed between 2002 and 2005 were followed up for a mean period of 5.81.3 S.D. years . mortality rates were compared between total testosterone 10.4nmol/l ( 300ng/dl ; n=343 ) and testosterone 10.4nmol/l ( n=238 ) . the effect of TRT ( as per normal clinical practise : 85.9 % testosterone gel and 14.1 % intramuscular testosterone undecanoate ) was assessed retrospectively within the low testosterone group . RESULTS Mortality was increased in the low testosterone group ( 17.2 % ) compared with the normal testosterone group ( 9 % ; P=0.003 ) when controlled for covariates . In the Cox regression model , multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio ( HR ) for decreased survival was 2.02 ( P=0.009 , 95 % CI 1.2 - 3.4 ) . TRT ( mean duration 41.6±20.7 months ; n=64 ) was associated with a reduced mortality of 8.4 % compared with 19.2 % ( P=0.002 ) in the untreated group ( n=174 ) . The multivariate-adjusted HR for decreased survival in the untreated group was 2.3 ( 95 % CI 1.3 - 3.9 , P=0.004 ) . CONCLUSIONS Low testosterone levels predict an increase in all-cause mortality during long-term follow-up . Testosterone replacement may improve survival in hypogonadal men with type 2 diabetes
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 .