Any man presently experiencing heart problems and using injections of testosterone may want to listen closely. A new study has been released that claims men in the previously mentioned group may have a higher risk of heart attack or stroke. Testosterone therapy has been used to help counteract the aging process for men and improve weakening bone density, muscle mass, and sex drive.

For the study, Dr. Rebecca Vigen from the University of Texas and her team reviewed 9,000 patients who had recovered from a coronary angiography between 2005 and 2011. Testosterone therapy had been prescribed for 1,200 of the patients. The results showed that men within the hormone therapy group had a 30 percent increased risk of death, heart attack, or stroke as opposed to the group who did not use the hormone therapy.

According to Dr. Anne Cappola, who is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the reason for using testosterone injections should be considered. The results of the study from (JAMA) the Journal of the American Medical Association, “make us take a pause, and make sure that everyone taking testosterone is taking it for the right reasons and is experiencing benefits.”

The outcome of the study does not suggest that nobody should use testosterone therapy, but rather that some men are potential candidates while others are not. The heavy marketing of products may mislead some patients into thinking this option is a necessary one because potential risks have eluded them. Physicians have advised against falling for the ploy, and recommend seeking consultation from your health provider before considering testosterone therapy.

“There’s a lot of marketing out there of testosterone and low-T syndrome, and a lot of men who want to feel better. So that marketing appeals to them, but they are not hearing any of the risks side, which is often harder to quantify,” Cappola said.

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons]