Cleveland Clinic study finds testosterone replacement therapy does not increase heart risk [U5IRh2GHfSX]

Cleveland Clinic study finds testosterone replacement therapy does not increase heart risk [U5IRh2GHfSX]

| 1h 28m 28s | Video has closed captioning.

A Cleveland Clinic-led trial just released today in the New England Journal of Medicine found that testosterone-replacement therapy did not result in a higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events in middle-aged and older men with hypogonadism (also known as low testosterone) who also had preexisting or a high risk of cardiovascular disease. However, researchers still urge caution when considering testosterone therapy. The study, called "Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Assessment of Long-term Vascular Events and Efficacy Response in Hypogonadal Men" (TRAVERSE), was presented today during a late-breaking science session at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting. Study author Dr. Steven Nissen — chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic — is still concerned that too many men are being over-prescribed testosterone when they likely don't even need replacement therapy. "Although the trial showed some evidence that testosterone treatment may be safe for men with low levels of testosterone, these findings should not be used as a justification for widespread prescription of these products to large numbers of men," Nissen said. The issue of low testosterone, or "Low T," for aging men has been a hot topic. Ads seem to be everywhere, and a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed prescriptions for testosterone therapy tripled between 2001 and 2011 for men over 40. It's important to note that testosterone deficiency is not a life-threatening condition, but Nissen says the therapy should only be considered for men who actually suffer from hypogonadism, another term for Low T. Many are being prescribed testosterone who may not need it, and there's concern for the risks associated with levels that are too high. Monica Robins reports.