Dangerous side-effects of prescription testosterone treatments

March 12, 2014

It is common for testosterone levels in men to decline after they reach the age of 30. However, in some instances, these levels can get to a dangerously low level as a result of a condition known as hypogonadism. In these instances, Low-T drugs as they are referred to, are prescribed as treatment.

However, within the past decade, the marketing campaigns for Low-T drugs have rampantly increased. Pharmaceutical companies are marketing these types of drugs as "fountain of youth" pills. They have instructed men of all ages to speak with their doctors about getting these testosterone therapy drugs.

And, a study published in 2012, indicates the campaign has worked.

The study: significant rise in use of Low-T drugs

The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal that provides research on internal medicine and subspecialties. Researchers analyzed roughly 11 million men across the U.S. and the results indicated that from 2001-2011, the use of testosterone drugs increased threefold for men age 40 and older.

However, specialists have always indicated that physicians should be careful about prescribing such treatments. Low-T prescriptions should only be provided to "men with consistent symptoms and signs and unequivocally low serum testosterone levels," they say. They indicate that thorough tests should always be conducted to determine this.

However, the researchers found that 25 percent of the men from the study who received testosterone prescriptions didn't even have a test done to determine if they even had low levels.

This is an astonishing fact given the potential serious side effects of pharmaceutical drugs.

Side effects

Serious side effects associated with low testosterone drugs include but are not limited to:
- Thickening of the blood
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Increased risk of prostate cancer

According to researchers, information from the study shows that many physicians are just haphazardly prescribing the medication--without conducting adequate testing. A male patient may complain about his decrease in libido and exhibit depression symptoms, for instance, and automatically prescribed the drug even though both symptoms could point to a different condition altogether.

And, according to the lead researcher, this is dangerous. There isn't any concrete data on the long-term effects of the drug and the serious repercussions, he stated.

Legal recourse

Fortunately, legal resource is available to individuals who have suffered from dangerous side effects after taking low testosterone therapy drugs. Speaking with a lawyer who specializes in drug defect litigation can offer advice as it pertains to individual circumstances is advised.

Article provided by Greg Jones Law
Visit us at www.gregjoneslaw.com