Testosterone supplements – widely advertised to help men improve sex drive and increase energy – do not elevate the risk of heart attack and stroke in men who have low levels of the male hormone, a large new study finds.
The study comes at an important time as the Food and Drug Administration is weighing the safety of the hormone popular supplements. Low testosterone levels increase cardiovascular disease risk, but research had raised concern that supplements might also lead to increased heart attacks, especially in men over 65.
Researchers at the Intermountain Heart Medical Center in Murray, Utah, studied 5,695 men between the ages of 53 and 71 with low testosterone levels. The researchers found that men who used testosterone replacement therapy to achieve normal or high testosterone levels reduced their risk of heart attacks and death over the three-year course of the study.
The scientists added that further study is needed to clarify the benefits of the replacement therapy.
The findings were presented at the 2014 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago.
About 2.3 million American men use testosterone supplements, with men ages 40 to 64 making up 70 percent of the prescriptions.
© 2025 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.