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Popular culture often equates testosterone with virility, strength, and the macho male physique. Viewed by some as an "antiaging tonic," testosterone's reputation and increased use by men of all ages in the United States have outpaced the scientific evidence about its potential benefits and risks. In particular there has been growing concern about an increase in the number of middle-aged and older men using testosterone and the lack of scientific data on the effect it may have on aging males. Studies of testosterone replacement therapy in older men have generally been of short duration, involving small numbers of participants and often lacking adequate controls. "Testosterone and Aging" weighs the options of future research directions, examines the risks and benefits of testosterone replacement therapy, assesses the potential public health impact of such therapy in the United States, and considers ethical issues related to the conduct of clinical trials. Testosterone therapy remains an attractive option to many men even as speculation abounds regarding its potential.
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Committee on Assessing the Need for Clinical Trials of Testosterone Replacement Therapy Board on Health Sciences Policy Catharyn T. Liverman and Dan G. Blazer, Editors
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. Support for this project was provided by the National Institute on Aging and the National Cancer Institute. The views presented in this report are those of the Institute of Medicine Committee on Assessing the Need for Clinical Trials of Testosterone Replacement Therapy and are not necessarily those of the funding agencies. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Testosterone and aging : clinical research directions / Committee on Assessing the Need for Clinical Trials of Testosterone Replacement Therapy, Board on Health Sciences Policy ; Catharyn T. Liverman, Dan G. Blazer, editors. p. ; cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-309-09063-6 (pbk.); 0-309-52720-1 (PDF) 1. Longevity. 2. Aging—Prevention. 3. Testosterone—Physiological effect. [DNLM: 1. Aging—drug effects. 2. Testosterone—physiology. 3. Testosterone— therapeutic use—Aged. WT 104 T3455 2004] I. Liverman, Catharyn T. II. Blazer, Dan G. (Dan German), 1944- III. National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Assessing the Need for Clinical Trials of Testosterone Replacement Therapy. RA776.75.T45 2004 612.6’8—dc22 2003026323 Additional copies of this report are available from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, N.W., Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313 (in the Washington metropolitan area); Internet, http://www.nap.edu. For more information about the Institute of Medicine, visit the IOM home page at: www.iom.edu. Copyright 2004 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. The serpent has been a symbol of long life, healing, and knowledge among almost all cultures and religions since the beginning of recorded history. The serpent adopted as a logotype by the Institute of Medicine is a relief carving from ancient Greece, now held by the Staatliche Museen in Berlin.
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