Testosterone: When a Good Thing Goes Away

Testosterone is generally understood to be a good thing. It makes men strong, aggressive, fast on their feet, and horny.  So when testosterone levels decline, as they  do starting at about the age of 30, that’s considered a bad thing. And as this comprehensive piece in the Los Angeles Times explains, it’s no coincidence that after the age of 30, men lose muscle, become slower, less aggressive, and yes, less horny. What to do? One increasingly popular solution is testosterone supplements. The LA Times reports that in 2000, American pharmacists dispensed 590,000 prescriptions for testosterone supplements. In 2004, they dispensed 1.86 million. But is that popular idea a good idea? The answer, like the answer to a surprisingly large number of questions about male hormones, prostate cancer, and sex, is: nobody knows. Which is not to say the LA Times piece isn’t helpful, and interesting. Read more.