Not Hair Loss News – FDA on Testosterone Supplements
FDA says there is little evidence testosterone treatment works.
The NBC Nightly News (9/3, story 6, 0:30, Williams) reported in its broadcast that the FDA “says there’s little evidence that testosterone boosting drugs taken by millions of American men are actually effective.” NBC notes that the agency also pointed out that it’s not convinced they carry serious risk either. “The condition has been marketed as low ‘T’ and the medications are offered to help with low sex drive and fatigue among some men,” notes NBC.
The FDA’s comments come ahead of a public meeting “to discuss the benefits and risks of treatments that raise levels of the male hormone” on Sept. 17, according to the AP (9/4, Perrone). The meeting comes after two federally funded studies “found links between testosterone therapy and heart problems in men.” The AP also testosterone boosting treatments have come under the spotlight “amid an industry marketing blitz for new pills, patches and formulations that has transformed testosterone a multibillion-dollar market.”
Directly boosting testosterone rarely works. Look at how the hormone works in the human body – it peaks and troughs much more often than can be mimicked effectively. Rather than focusing on direct testosterone replacements – researchers would be better placed looking at the precursors and the stress conditions that cause cortisol imbalances. There’s a lot more to hormonal chemistry than just slapping androgel on every middle aged man and hoping it will turn them back into their 20s and 30s.