Randy Dotinga HealthDay Reporter Posted: Friday, May 10, 2013, 2:44 PM
FRIDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Testosterone supplements are touted as a cure for low libido, but men who take them may reduce their odds of fathering a child, new research suggests.
Many men who sought infertility treatment at two U.S. clinics reported taking prescription testosterone supplements, according to a new study. And in most cases their sperm counts skyrocketed after they stopped taking the male hormone.
The study, limited to a pair of clinics in Alabama and Kansas, looked at the years 2005 to 2011. The researchers don't know if testosterone supplements, which continue to gain popularity, are contributing to even more cases of infertility now. Nor is it clear whether the hormone is harming fertility across the nation.
Still, the research suggests that testosterone spells trouble for many American men who want to have children, said study co-author Dr. Peter Kolettis, a professor of urology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "This has become a preventable cause of infertility."
Use of testosterone supplements -- or "T" -- is rapidly rising in the United States, and some observers think usage will remain inflated as more men see it as a possible cure for fatigue and flagging sex drive. Critics, however, question whether testosterone treatment is being prescribed to men who don't need it.
"More men are coming into [doctors'] offices asking for testosterone because they've seen the advertisements, and it looks like the fountain of youth: It will reduce fat, make them look sexier," said Dr. Bradley Anawalt, an endocrinologist and chief of medicine service at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, who was not involved in the study.
But testosterone can cause side effects such as male breast growth and blood clots. And "very few physicians are warning that it will turn off their sperm production," Anawalt said.
Adding testosterone to the body through supplementation spurs a process that impedes sperm production, Anawalt said. "Men struggling with fertility should not be on testosterone," he said. "[But] this is not something that most physicians or patients are thinking about."
The study, presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in San Diego, aimed to find out how many infertile men take the supplements despite the risks.
Follow this link:
Testosterone Supplements May Hurt Male Fertility, Study Finds
- The Evolutionary Effects of Testosterone on Human Society - September 20th, 2021
- More Sex: A Better Way to Boost Your Testosterone Levels - September 7th, 2021
- Men Want to Know – Free Testosterone versus Total Testosterone - August 24th, 2021
- What is testosterone? - May 23rd, 2021
- Tribulus Terrestris Review Does It Raise Testosterone or ... - May 22nd, 2021
- Boosting testosterone levels (First of two parts) - May 8th, 2021
- How long does it take for Testosterone replacement treatments and therapy to work? - May 1st, 2021
- What Is Testosterone AndroGel - April 28th, 2021
- Low T - My life was falling apart because I had low testosterone - April 25th, 2021
- Deer Antler, HGH and Testosterone: Tim on Scott and BR Radio Show - Video - April 17th, 2021
- What is Testosterone? What does Testosterone do? Find on - April 14th, 2021
- How Testosterone Affects the Skin of Men - April 11th, 2021
- Testosterone, the Power Hormone - April 8th, 2021
- Testosterone Levels and Wall Street - March 27th, 2021
- Women can resist testosterone-fuelled political debate - March 12th, 2021
- BUSTED: Myths About Testosterone And Its Link To Sexual Desire In Men And Women - March 11th, 2021
- Attention Baby Boomers -- Could Testosterone be the Modern Day "Fountain of Youth?" - March 4th, 2021
- Declining Testosterone Levels in Men Not Part of Normal Aging - February 28th, 2021
- Quick Weight Loss Tips and Diet Recommendations for HRT - February 28th, 2021
- Testosterone and Alcohol: Your Health and the Holiday Season - February 27th, 2021
- Testosterone builds muscle but has risks - February 25th, 2021
- New Study Finds That Testosterone Does Not Increase Cardiovascular Risk - February 22nd, 2021
- Evidence Suggests Testosterone Plays Powerful Role in Motivating Revolutionary Change - February 15th, 2021
- The Effects of Parenthood Upon Testosterone Levels - January 9th, 2021
- Testicular Cancer Survivors are at Risk for Low Testosterone - January 6th, 2021
- Amygdala and it's Relationship to Testosterone and Fear - December 25th, 2020
- Testosterone Does Not Cause Atherosclerosis (Hardening of the Arteries) in Older Men - December 24th, 2020
- Increased Testosterone DOES NOT Cause Prostate Cancer to Spread - December 23rd, 2020
- Testosterone Cypionate and Testosterone Enanthate: The Real Facts - December 20th, 2020
- A Surprising Side Effect of Methadone Treatment: Suppressed Testosterone - December 18th, 2020
- The Testosterone Industry Globally is Booming - December 12th, 2020
- Five Benefits of Testosterone That You Need to Know - December 11th, 2020
- Testosterone Nasal Gel: A New Form of Testosterone Replacement Therapy - December 5th, 2020
- New Research Proves Testosterone Replacement Therapy is Safe for the Heart - December 3rd, 2020
- Skinny Bartender with Low Testosterone Becomes a Ripped Bodybuilder - December 3rd, 2020
- Low-T and Your Health - November 30th, 2020
- Low Testosterone Levels may Affect Man's Sex Drive and Affect his Intimate Relationships - November 19th, 2020
- Is Testosterone the New Drug of Choice on Wall Street? How Traders are Using Male Hormone Booster Shots to Maintain a ... - November 12th, 2020
- Shorter course of ADT for high-risk prostate cancer patients yields improved quality of life - November 11th, 2020
- Testosterone Litigation: What You Need To Know - MTMP - Video - November 9th, 2020
- Methadone Lowers Testosterone in Men Only - November 8th, 2020
- Intricate relationship between Oestrogen & Testosterone XXY Guys (Klinefelters' syndrome) - Video - November 7th, 2020
- Should middle-aged men consider 'low T' treatment? - November 5th, 2020
- Testosterone and Crime: What Can Genes Tell Us About Behavior? - Video - October 25th, 2020
- Testosterone shown to help sexually frustrated women - October 22nd, 2020
- Testosterone levels seen prior to birth in fetus' fingers, jawline - October 20th, 2020
- Tri-Blend Testosterone. Understanding the Benefits of Testosterone Oils - October 19th, 2020
- Testosterone levels in older men - October 17th, 2020
- Tlando Testosterone Clinical Trial for Low-T and Fatty Liver Disease - October 4th, 2020
- Testosterone Focus in Diabetes Study – Video - September 30th, 2020
- Testshock Review All Natural Testosterone Enhancement – Video - September 30th, 2020
- Testosterone, Anxiety, and Depression - September 30th, 2020
- Average Testosterone Levels Decreasing Over Time Among Younger American Men - August 21st, 2020
- Testosterone Creams for Low Testosterone Treatment and Andropause - August 10th, 2020
- Testosterone Therapy and Androgen Deficiency Guide - August 6th, 2020
- Testosterone's Surprising Link to Men's 'Love Hormone' Oxytocin - August 5th, 2020
- Fortesta Brand Testosterone Therapy - August 3rd, 2020
- Andropause: Age-Associated Testosterone Decline - August 1st, 2020
- How to Build Muscle Quickly by Boosting Testosterone Levels - July 29th, 2020
- Testosterone Deficiency Strongly Linked to Heart Attack Risk in New Study - July 26th, 2020
- Seven Types of Drugs That Can Inhibit Sex Drive and Libido - July 22nd, 2020
- Testosterone and Geriatric Frailty - July 21st, 2020
- Testosterone and Aggression: How T-Levels Impact Human Response to External, Social Threats - July 12th, 2020
- High-Dose Testosterone Injections May Be a Viable Palliative Late-Stage Prostate Cancer Treatment - July 12th, 2020
- Could Civilization Have Been Formed as a Result of Declining Testosterone Levels in Males? - July 6th, 2020
- Testosterone Therapy Allows Man to Have the Body That He Was Meant to Have - July 5th, 2020
- Testosterone Injections for Low-T and Andropause - July 4th, 2020
- Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) Reduces the Risk of Serious Adverse Health Consequences! - June 30th, 2020
- Testosterone not always to blame - Sat, 04 Aug 2012 PST - June 28th, 2020
- Five Facts About Testosterone (That Maybe You Didn't Know) - June 27th, 2020
- Manhood Washed Away: You Could Unknowingly be Annihilating Your Testosterone - June 23rd, 2020
- Testosterone: Should You Take it to Regain Your Libido and Youthful Energy? - June 22nd, 2020
- Testosterone Replacement Therapy Boosts Aerobic Capacity - June 15th, 2020
- Physiology of Testosterone - June 9th, 2020
- The Truth Behind Common Male Sex Myths - May 26th, 2020
- Dr. Andre Berger on Testosterone Deficiency in Men - Andropause Symptoms and Treatment By Doctor's Desk Series - May 21st, 2020
- How to Raise Testosterone Naturally. Sermorelin - Some Have Called It A The New Fountain of Youth. A Natural Cure for Anxiety and Depression. - May 9th, 2020
- Are Athletes Using Green Tea to Mask Testosterone Doping? - May 7th, 2020
- Some Animal Research Suggests that High Testosterone May Increase Prostate Cancer Risk - May 5th, 2020
- Eleven Foods that Can Drain Your Libido - May 4th, 2020
Word Count: 390