Product Liability Lawyer Blog
As you are probably aware, testosterone replacement therapy has become very popular over the last ten years. While the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved testosterone replacement hormone in the 1970s, there were very few people taking the drug. The reason for this is because testosterone replacement therapy was only approved to treat a very rare medical condition known as hypogonadism.
Hypogonadism is a rare disease that involves male children and adult men with extremely low testosterone levels – to the point where it is causing a serious medical condition. This was a very rare disease in the 1970s, and it is still a rare disease in 2016. However, while the number of patients with a need for testosterone replacement therapy has not gone up, the number of men taking the drug has gone up over 400 percent to the point where hundreds of thousands of men are taking testosterone hormone on a regular basis.
The reason it is has increased is because the drug companies tell men who are experiencing the normal effects of aging, such as loss of muscle tone, weight gain, fatigue, and mild depression that if they take testosterone, they will be like they were 20 years ago. Even though there is no credible scientific evidence to support these claims, so-called T Clinics have sprung up across the country that are there to take a lot of money from these men in exchange for off-label use of testosterone to make them feel young again. You can’t blame the patients, because who wouldn’t want to feel you again, especially with no downside.
The problem is that there is a pretty big downside, as testosterone hormone has been linked to heart disease and stroke. The drug companies don’t want you to know this, because that might hurt sales. If you have been taking testosterone hormone and suffered heart problems or a stroke, the best thing to do is contact a Boston testosterone replacement therapy injury lawyer as soon as possible to see if you have a case.
Aside from heath problems, it seems that testosterone replacement therapy can also harm your poker game, according to a recent news feature from Card Player. As part of a study, researchers were trying to determine what effect, if any, increased testosterone levels would have on one’s ability to play poker. Somewhat interestingly, the study includes 20 poker players between the ages of 19 and 26 who were all female. The reason they used all women in the study is because researchers have more information about the neurological and psychological effects of giving testosterone hormone to women then they do in men. This should be another example of how little doctors know about what happens when men without hypogonadism take testosterone.
The study involved the use of bluffing, and researchers found that one’s ability to successfully bluff was hampered by the higher testosterone levels. This was a placebo-controlled study. As it turned out, one’s ability to “cold bluff” an opponent, which is defined as bluffing when you have no good cards, was far reduced, as the other player would notice the bluff.
Call the Boston Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment — (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
Study Says An Elevated Level Of Testosterone Is Terrible For Your Poker Game, January 16, 2016, Card Player, By Brian Pempus
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More Blog Entries:
FDA Announces Testosterone Meds Must Carry Broader Warning, July 7, 2014, Boston Products Liability Lawyers Blog