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Andropause: an old concept in new clothing
John E Morley1, H Mitchell Perry
1GRECC, VA Medical Center, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. morley@slu.edu
Clinics in Geriatric Medicine
|October 22, 2003
Summary
Testosterone replacement therapy can improve hypogonadism symptoms in older men. However, long-term safety requires further investigation, suggesting its use as a quality-of-life treatment for symptomatic improvement.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Endocrinology
- Men's Health
Background:
- Hypogonadism is common in older men and often associated with symptoms.
- There is growing evidence supporting testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for symptomatic relief.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of TRT in older men.
- To address the increasing awareness and treatment of andropause.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing evidence on testosterone replacement in older men.
- Analysis of limited long-term studies (8 participants over 50 studied for 10 years).
Main Results:
- TRT shows symptomatic improvement in older men with hypogonadism.
- Long-term side effects of TRT remain uncertain due to limited data.
Conclusions:
- Testosterone should be viewed as a quality-of-life medication, similar to sildenafil.
- Current use should be limited to cases with symptomatic improvement.
- Further men's health studies are needed to determine long-term TRT efficacy and safety in older populations.