Testosterone gel shows no benefit for older men’s mental function

CHICAGO — Testosterone treatment did not improve older men’s memory or mental function in the latest results from landmark government research that challenges the anti-aging claims of popular supplements.

While testosterone use for one year appeared to strengthen bones and reduce anemia, it also showed signs of worsening artery disease, and questions remain about other potential risks. The researchers said more studies are needed to determine longterm effects — the kind of research the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already asked supplement makers to conduct.

“I don’t think anybody would interpret these results as saying, ‘Wow, this is a fountain of youth, this is a magical anti-aging potion,’ ” said study co-author Susan Ellenberg, a University of Pennsylvania researcher.

The results are from the final four studies in a project mostly funded by the National Institute on Aging, involving 800 U.S. men aged 65 and older with low testosterone levels. The goal was to see if rubbing testosterone gel on the skin daily for a year could treat problems linked with low levels of the male hormone, which declines with age. Half the men in each group used the real thing and half used fake gel.

Results published a year ago from the same research linked testosterone with mostly modest improvement in sexual performance, walking strength and mood. The key new findings: • Testosterone had no effect on memory or mental function, based on tests given to 500 men with age-related memory decline.

• Among 140 men who underwent heart artery imaging tests to see if the hormone slowed progression of plaque, those who used testosterone had more plaque buildup and narrower arteries after a year than the fake gel group.

• Among 200 men given bone imaging tests before and at the end of treatment, those on testosterone showed increases in bone density and strength, while minimal changes were found in the group that used fake gel.

• Among 126 men with anemia, a fatigue-linked condition involving inadequate red blood cells, those on testosterone showed substantial improvement.