Officials under President Donald Trump are working to make it easier for men to get a prescription for testosterone, a hormone that affects sex drive, mood, and other health factors. The move, backed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other top officials, aligns with the advice of many online influencers and podcasters who tout the hormone as a way to boost muscle and energy.

Medical Experts Weigh In

Many medical experts say that a decade of new research has bolstered the case for testosterone’s benefits for sexual health while allaying concerns about its impact on the heart. Dr. Justin Dubin, a urologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute, notes that many providers have been trained to be cautious when prescribing testosterone due to concerns about potential heart risks.

However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed a bold safety warning about possible heart risks with testosterone pills, gels, injections, and patches last year, based on recent data that showed no increase in those problems. The agency has also proposed rewriting prescribing instructions to clear the way for using testosterone against age-related symptoms, such as low libido and erectile dysfunction.

Benefits and Risks

While some studies have shown that testosterone therapy can improve erectile dysfunction, libido, and other sexual measures, experts agree that more research is needed to fully understand the benefits and risks of the hormone. Dr. Shalender Bhasin, of Harvard Medical School, notes that the potential for overprescribing testosterone is real and that careful consideration is needed when prescribing the hormone, particularly for men who have had prostate cancer or are at risk of the disease.

Testosterone was first approved in the 1950s to treat hypogonadism, a condition defined by low testosterone levels caused by medical problems affecting the testes or other organs. The hormone declines naturally with age and can affect sexual function, mood, bone density, and other measures.

Original reporting: WTVQ (Lexington) — read the source article.