Testosterone Builds Bone, May Up Heart Risk

Men got the good news about testosterone treatment last year, when researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School reported that testosterone treatment improved sexual function and mood. Now comes another report from the same study, suggesting that testosterone treatment improves bone density and strength, but warning that it seemed to encourage a build up of arterial plaque that could increase the risk of a cardiovascular event. Science Daily reports on the study, which analyzed data from 788 men, 65 and older, who had low testosterone. One group of men was given a daily testosterone gel and one group was given a placebo. The discouraging news? Testosterone did not improve memory, or any other cognitive function.