The Benefits and Risks of TRT: Scientific Research Delivers the Facts
Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is being prescribed at higher rates than ever before, but what does medical science reveal about the effectiveness of TRT?
Current research supports the following overall conclusions:
- There are a wide range of potential health benefits that may improve the quality of life for patients experiencing the symptoms of hypogonadism (the clinical term for low testosterone)
- Major health risks appear to be low for those receiving responsible, carefully monitored treatment
- The overall risk of premature death due to overall poor health and co-occurring health issues may decrease when testosterone levels are maintained within a normal range
When making decisions about your healthcare, including whether TRT is right for you, it’s critical that you have the most recent and relevant facts at your disposal, independent from the hype and hysteria that often surrounds trending medical treatments.
A comprehensive summary of recent scientific studies on TRT can be found here.
TRT Research Backs Significant Health Benefits
Scientific research has found the following potential benefits for men suffering from chronic low testosterone who undergo TRT:
- Increased sexual function
- Greater lean muscle mass and strength
- Improved mood and cognitive function
- Possible reduction in frailty and osteoporosis
- Potentially reduced mortality due to health complications such as diabetes or cardiovascular events
Unsupported by Research: The Hysteria Surrounding TRT and Potential Health Risks
The bulk of reliable studies into the alleged major health risks commonly attributed to TRT show there is likely little scientific basis for concern, concluding that:
- No significant evidence appears to exist that establishes a cause-effect relationship between TRT and an increased risk of prostate cancer or prostate enlargement
- The alleged risk of cardiovascular issues supposedly associated with TRT have been addressed by more recent studies that appear to indicate healthy testosterone levels likely result in reduced, not increased, mortality
Studies reporting increased health risks due to TRT (such as this one) often appeared to suffer from flawed methodology that utilized inadequate standards for diagnosing low testosterone and failed to conduct follow-up testing.
These studies often counted undertreated or non-compliant patients receiving inconsistent treatment regimens as equivalent to those receiving proper care, resulting in questionable, or even potentially invalid, conclusions.
In addition, the methods for administering supplementary testosterone varied widely across many of the earlier studies. Therefore, any assumptions made that failed to take into account a differing reaction to the method of delivery compared to testosterone injections were questionable (for example, transdermal delivery, where medication is absorbed through the skin, compared to injections).
The Message of Modern TRT Research
While the research methods used to study TRT are undoubtedly complicated, the conclusions based on reliable results are actually quite simple.
When TRT is administered properly and responsibly, there are many wide-ranging potential health benefits that may be achieved by maintaining healthy testosterone levels, potentially improving patients’ quality of life.
Additionally, TRT health risks appear to be far less serious than has been reported over the years.
When it comes to making decisions about your health, facts (based on recent scientific research) matter most. They are far more relevant and reliable than media and marketing speculation.
For more information, we recommend reading our comprehensive TRT guide, which contains facts and answers to the most common questions regarding the treatment of low testosterone.
