Gel Gives Older Men a Libido Boost
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Men over 50 who complain of a flagging sex drive might soon be able to treat themselves at home using a testosterone gel that is absorbed through the skin. Clinical trials show that the gel worked well at restoring libido in many cases, but some doctors wonder whether the hormone could spur the growth of latent cancers.
A wire service story from The Times of India says that doctors look to the history of hormone supplements in women and see cause for concern in men who might use the new testosterone gel. Although commonly known as a male hormone, testosterone helps maintain the libido in both sexes. Testosterone patches are currently being tested in women, the Electronic Telegraph reports.
The concern is that some reproductive cancers grow more aggressively in the presence of sex hormones. In women, estrogen can boost the risk of breast cancer, while progesterone raises the risk for endometrial cancer. In men, testosterone may make some prostate cancers grow faster, so prostate cancer screening may be advisable before using any type of testosterone.
A blood test can reveal whether a man may harbor prostate cancer, but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette cautions that many men don't understand how the test works. Moreover, the test can also reveal tumors that usually don't require treatment because they grow so slowly. But knowing that they have a cancer is often upsetting to men, even if they may live to old age and die from other causes.
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