Men Want More Testosterone: Prescriptions to Treat "Low T" Triple in Last Decade

A recent study shows that the percentage of middle-aged men in the United States taking testosterone to treat symptoms of low testosterone, otherwise known as "low T," has dramatically increased in recent years.

Prescriptions for testosterone therapy among men ages 40 and older increased by more than threefold, according to the study. That's going from 0.81 percent in 2001, to nearly 3 percent in 2011.

"This trend has been driven, in large part, by direct-to-consumer marketing campaigns that have targeted middle-aged men, and the expansion of clinics specializing in the treatment of low testosterone - or 'low-T centers,'" study researcher Dr. Jacques Baillargeon, an associate professor in preventive medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said in a statement, via Live Science.

Yet the researchers note that despite the rise, the findings of the study have been conflicting as to whether or not men benefit from the treatment or could even be harmed by it.

The Mayo Clinic shows that testosterone therapy can increase your muscle mass, sharpen your memory and concentration, boost your libido and even improve your overall energy levels. Unfortunately, as men age, their testosterone levels decrease, and this can be helpful towards aiding that decline. However, some of the long term side effects are still unknown.

From the study, about 50 percent of the men who received testosterone treatments were diagnosed with hypogonadism. However, about 25 percent did not have their testosterone levels measured before beginning the treatments, researchers note.

Based on this, it's unclear how many men truly had low testosterone levels. It's also important to note that these levels change daily, as well.

"More research is needed to determine the extent to which men with normal testosterone levels and ambiguous symptoms seek and are prescribed [testosterone therapy]," the authors wrote, according to the study.

Symptoms of low testosterone can include the following: fatigue or decreased energy, reduced sex drive, sexual dysfunction, depressed mood, increased body fat, reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased bone strength, loss of body hair or hot flashes or sweats.

The results for the study can be found in the June issue of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.