Taking Another Look at Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) Risks

A recent article from INSC Magazine analyzes testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) drugs and what has happened with them over the last couple of decades. This is important because most of the information men get about the testosterone replacement hormone products comes commercials and magazine advertisements. Much of this promotional material seriously downplays the very real risks associated with taking testosterone hormone in an attempt to reverse the normal signs of male aging.

As the article notes, very much is still misunderstood about what it means to have a low testosterone level and whether men who have these lower than average testosterone levels should be taking testosterone replacement therapy products.  The reason we are using the term products here is because that is what they really are.  The drug companies have manufactured testosterone replacement therapy drugs in many forms, such as pills, injections, sublingual films, stick deodorant, skin creams, hand gels and many more market-driven drug delivery devices.One of the reasons not to take testosterone replacement hormone, as our experienced Boston products liability attorney can explain, is that when a patient takes TRT drugs, there is a higher risk of the patient suffering a heart attack or stroke.  We have seen clients who became debilitated as a result of taking testosterone replacement hormone drugs, and now it seems that they may never have needed the drug in the first place.  The reason for this is because when a patient takes TRT drugs, doctors do not even know if taking that drug will treat the symptoms of having a lower testosterone count.  We do know that taking testosterone hormone can artificially raise a man’s testosterone level, but we do not if he will be less tired, stop losing muscle mass, stop gaining weight, or stop any of the signs of normal male aging.

One of the more interesting aspect of this situation is that doctors do not even agree on what it means for a man to have a normal testosterone level.  The reason for this is because there have not been extensive studies on the testosterone levels of men at different ages. There has been testing done of elderly men, but that is a much older age group than the one being targeted by the drug companies that make testosterone replacement hormone.

This notwithstanding, drug companies claim their testosterone replacement therapy drugs have gotten a lot better and safer over the past years, though it should be noted that doctors do not seem to concur with this opinion. Unfortunately, despite the fact that so much is unknown in the medical community and among research companies, there is no significant shortage of men who are willing to take the drugs.  The reason for this is because nobody wants to get older and if there is a quick and easy way to alleviate these symptoms, and they are not warned of any significant risks, it is not hard to see why these men would not want to take the testosterone hormone drugs.

If you are the victim of Massachusetts product liability, call Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.

Additional Resources:

What Men Need to Know About Testosterone Replacement Therapy, November 3, 2016, By David Gomes, INSC Magazine

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J&J Fires Back on Pelvic Mesh Marketing Lawsuit, July 15, 2016, Boston Product Liability Attorney Blog