Doubts over male menopause
Thursday June 3rd, 2010
Trying to treat the so-called male menopause with hormones is "questionable", experts warn today.
Some men may have low testosterone levels in old age - but there is no evidence this produces the symptoms linked to male menopause, according to the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin.
The benefits of testosterone treatment are doubtful, the bulletin says, while its side effects can be uncomfortable.
Risks of treatment include development of prostate cancer, growth of breasts and blocking of the urinary tract.
The bulletin says treatment may improve bone density and muscle strength - but there is no evidence this leads to "worthwhile benefits", such as reduced risk of bone fractures.
Editor Dr Ike Iheanacho says symptoms of the male menopause are said to include loss of desire and low mood, together with loss of strength. But these also occur in men with normal hormonal levels, he says.
The bulletin states: "Clinicians should not offer testosterone therapy without explicit discussion of the uncertainty about its risks and benefits in this population.
"There is no place for testosterone therapy in older men without symptoms, or without clearly low testosterone concentrations on more than one occasion."
DTB Vol 48; June 2010; 69-72
Tags: Men’s Health | Pharmaceuticals | UK News
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