Millions of men are getting testosterone supplementation, and big Pharma is even pushing testosterone supplementation on women.
It is thought to increase sexual drive in women, and in men, many men are suffering from either actual low testosterone, or feeling low testosterone, that liberal supplementation is now being offered all the time via either gels or injections.
Testosterone hormone itself is very cheap, but when it’s medically offered by big Pharma, it becomes very expensive.
But there may be another reason not to supplement weekly with testosterone.
Testosterone supplementation may have some very bad effects
One thing that is quite common in men receiving testosterone supplementation is an elevation in platelet levels. And another problem that may even be worse is blood clots.
This study evaluated the effects of testosterone on blood clots and found an increased number of blood clots with men receiving testosterone supplementation.
14 healthy man and one woman were given testosterone supplementation. After the supplementation was underway, almost half the men had high estrogen levels.
This is thought to be due to the well-known aromatization, where an enzyme in the body turns extra testosterone into estrogen.
It is one of the big dangers of testosterone supplementation. Sometimes, men are given drugs to help prevent aromatization, but these drugs have other side effects.
The patients were studied for an average of about 11 months of testosterone supplementation.
Before the supplementation,
none of the previously healthy 13 men and 1 woman
had a previous history of thrombosis
They were not alcoholics, they had not taken medication that is known to cause blood clot problems, and they were otherwise healthy.
Of the 14 patients, 13 developed blood clot problems — and most had very high estrogen levels
In our study, 33% to 41% of the men on testosterone therapy developed high [estrogen], congruent with reports that high [estrogen] in testosterone-treated men is common.
The authors of the study believe that before you get testosterone therapy, you should be thoroughly screened for thrombophilia, the increased chances of getting blood clots.
The authors believe that the supplemental testosterone is converted into estrogen, and it is well-known that excess estrogen can result in blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis, which is life-threatening.
Many of these patients did experience deep vein thrombosis. Some of them had to be treated with warfarin for many months afterward, and some suffered other complications.
Why aren’t they telling men these facts?
Testosterone supplementation can be very dangerous for men who have a likelihood of developing blood clots. It may not be easy to screen these men before giving them testosterone.
Many men are doing okay on testosterone supplementation, but they’re possibly asking for long term problems from elevated estrogen.
Natural testosterone produced in the body does not create a higher risk of blood clots. This is only from supplemental testosterone.
Men getting testosterone supplementation may be setting themselves up for blood clots and other side effects of excess estrogen.
It is questionable whether estrogen blockers can prevent this.
If you are taking testosterone supplements, you may want to reconsider with your doctor.
It is well-known that many men who are suffering from the effects of low testosterone may be helped better by some changes in diet, lifestyle, or supplementing with thyroid.
Citations:
Testosterone, Thrombophilia, and Thrombosis
http://cat.sagepub.com/content/20/1/22.full.pdf
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