Are Testosterone Supplements Dangerous?
You have likely heard more than one commercial on television regarding testosterone supplements for symptoms of “Low-T.” Pharmaceutical companies have jumped on the testosterone bandwagon and are aggressively marketing testosterone creams, gels, pills, patches and implants. While there are men who have a legitimate diagnosis of low testosterone, this is usually in response to an endocrine tumor, hypogonadism or the side effects of chemotherapy. The manufacturers of testosterone supplements are advertising the drugs to essentially reverse the effects of aging, aiding such symptoms as the loss of bone density, depression, a thickening waist, a higher incidence of fatigue, loss of strength and muscle mass or loss of libido.
You may wonder what could be wrong with a little “youthful boost?” The fact is, all men will see a decrease in testosterone as they age, and, along with that decrease, will also see the very symptoms testosterone manufacturers are claiming to be able to halt and reverse. Men are flocking to their doctor’s offices, begging for a prescription for testosterone, while others are obtaining their testosterone supplements at anti-aging clinics, springing up across the nation. Unfortunately, long-term studies on the effects of testosterone don’t exist. The results of one testosterone study were recently published in the Journal of American Medical Association. A group of 8700 men with low testosterone were given testosterone supplements. Bear in mind that these men did not suffer from endocrine issues, were not on chemotherapy and had not been diagnosed with hypergonadism, rather tested low on testosterone—but not necessarily low for their ages.
The conclusion of the study was that the men who were given testosterone supplements ended with an almost 30% higher risk of a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, stroke, or even death, than the men with low testosterone who did not take a testosterone supplement. Another study—with fewer participants—was halted before the conclusion as it was felt too many men were experiencing adverse symptoms. Once the results of these two studies became public, doctors began re-thinking handing out prescriptions for testosterone supplements to their male patients without a valid medical diagnosis of extremely low testosterone levels. While it is not clear what caused the increased risk of heart attack and stroke among men taking testosterone, some researchers feel that the drug may promote clotting, which, in older men with thinner blood vessels, could be dangerous.
Will There Be Testosterone Lawsuits?
Because the marketing for testosterone supplements has become so aggressive, the sales for Andro-Gel exceeded sales of Viagra in 2013, making over $1.6 billion dollars for the manufacturers of testosterone supplements in 2011, with much higher numbers in 2012 and 2013. There are currently five lawsuits against Abbot regarding Andro-Gel, which claim Abbot used deception in their marketing practices and failed to provide consumers with the risks associated with testosterone supplements. If you have suffered injury after taking a testosterone supplement, it could be beneficial to speak with a knowledgeable attorney who can determine whether you have a case against the manufacturer of the type of testosterone you were prescribed.