Myth Busting Series: Testosterone - What do the experts think?

Busting myths: Testosterone

It’s fair to say testosterone is a very well-known hormone in the general public. But this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a very well-understood one! In fact, testosterone is prone to numerous misconceptions in both the general public and more concerningly, among some healthcare professionals as well.  

Here at TRTed, we asked some of the leading Endocrinologists and Sexual Health Specialists which testosterone myth they would like to once and for all abolish!  

Dr David Edwards, General Practitioner and Specialist in Men’s and Women’s Sexual Health  

''Well the myth that I thought was going away but is still there, particularly in healthcare professionals that aren’t au fait with what’s going on in men’s health is the link between testosterone therapy and cancer in the prostate.''

''But in fact, that’s been debunked for many many years and it’s been shown that patients that actually have low testosterone, i.e., a hypogonadal, have a higher risk of CA prostate, so that would be the one myth I would like to abolish.''

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Prof Michael Zitzmann, Endocrinologist and Professor at Münster University Hospital

''There are many myths about testosterone treatment such as it makes you aggressive, it causes prostate cancer and it causes heart attacks, to say it frankly, there is no evidence that these things are true.''

''So, we actually have more evidence that testosterone treatment does not make you aggressive, does not cause prostate cancer, and may even prevent cardiovascular events. But of course, more research is needed.''

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Dr Stefan Arver, Endocrinologist and Academic Researcher at the Karolinska University Hospital

''Well, myths about testosterone are so repeatedly mentioned and a lot of those things become truth that isn’t, and it is metaphors that are killing the educational process to understand testosterone. One thing is aggressiveness - is that why men are more prone to violence than women? It’s not the case, and it has repeatedly been demonstrated in various settings, so that’s one thing.''

''The next thing is whether testosterone is harmful to the cardiovascular system or beneficial. This is something that is important to really understand, and it’s a myth that it is a risk factor, it’s not. Why do men die earlier than women in most countries around the globe? Well it’s not testosterone, it’s other issues that men are susceptible to, and that is not related to testosterone which is a common misunderstanding and it’s easy to say ''well men have testosterone that’s why they die earlier and can’t behave properly'', but this would be going in the wrong direction.''

The start of the myth busting series!

Don’t forget to look out for future myth busting articles with more leaders in the field of Men’s Health! If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please reach out to info@trted.org

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