The objective of this article is to help primary care providers (PCPs) council patients regarding testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This case will present a patient who initiated TRT at a community-based alternative medicine clinic. The case will be followed by a discussion regarding the standard diagnosis of hypogonadism, the potential benefits and risks of TRT, and a review of the current clinical guideline recommendations. Examples of information being disseminated to the general public by the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers will be briefly reviewed for an increased awareness of the questions patients may pose regarding TRT.
Background
From 2000 to 2011, total testosterone sales increased 12-fold globally.1 Possible causes for the increase involved the aging population, newer options for TRT administration, and increased direct-to-consumer advertising. A low testosterone level (sometimes referred to as low T in consumer marketing materials) is associated with a variety of medical conditions (ie, low mood, increased body fat, declining athletic performance, and decreased sexual performance) that have become increasingly prevalent among middle aged and older men.2 It has also received attention as an intervention to reverse frailty and sarcopenia.3
Testosterone replacement therapy options include injectable solutions, transdermal gels and patches, pellet implants, or buccal tablets. The ease of administration of transdermal testosterone comes at a relatively high cost. Injectable testosterone preparations are generally the least expensive option, and many patients choose injections for this reason.
Related: Keeping an Open Mind on HRT
Testosterone prescriptions were most frequently written by PCPs with 36% coming from family practitioners and 20.1% from internal medicine practices, according to a Kaiser Permanente study.4 Endocrinologists (13.5%) and urologists (6.6%) were less likely to have written the prescriptions for patients.
Due, in part, to direct-to-consumer advertising and to the availability of online medical information, many men now present to their PCP questioning whether they might have low T. Others may have already started therapy at a CAM, integrative medicine, or anti-aging clinic.
Confusing the issue further, some CAM providers promote a variety of off-label medications and nutritional supplements for the treatment of low T, which seems to have struck a chord in the baby boomer generation. No other age group in history has tried to work so intensely on its physical condition and appearance.5 Much of the information marketed to consumers emphasizes that many traditionally trained physicians are not educated in the treatment of low T.
Case Report
Mr. C. is a 65-year-old man who was seen in the primary care clinic for the first time. He was accompanied by his much younger fiancée. She reported that Mr. C.’s energy and sexual interest were declining, and the patient reported his “get up and go had gotten up and left.” They sought medical advice from a CAM provider who ordered blood work and then explained that the symptoms were due to low testosterone. For the past 6 months he had been visiting the clinic weekly for testosterone injections.
Mr. C. reported feeling as good as a “40 year old.” He also reported that he started working with a personal trainer and had given up most junk food and alcohol. He had no symptoms of chest pain, erectile dysfunction, or significant urinary urgency, frequency, or nocturia.
Related: Will Testosterone Therapy Kill Your Patient?
The visits to a CAM provider had been an out-of-pocket expense, and he was hoping to transfer his treatment to the VA so the costs could be covered. Mr. C. failed to bring medical records from the other provider but remembered being told that all his tests were “fine” except for the low testosterone level.
His past history was notable for controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus for 8 years, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and spinal stenosis. He had no history of benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer.
In addition to the testosterone (100 mg intramuscular injection weekly), his medication regimen included metoprolol 25 mg twice daily, atorvastatin 20 mg daily, acetaminophen 650 mg 3 times daily as needed, aspirin 81 mg daily, metformin 500 mg twice daily, vitamin D 2,000 IU daily, vitamin B12 1,000 mg daily, and Co-Q10 200 mg daily.
On physical examination, Mr. C.’s vitals were stable and his body mass index was in the overweight range at 29.8 kg/m2. His cardiopulmonary examination was normal. There was increased central obesity without palpable organomegaly. There was no gynecomastia, and he had normal amounts of axillary and pubic hair. There was no peripheral edema; his genitourinary examination included normal-sized testicles, and the prostate was smooth without nodules.
The PCP informed Mr. C. that he was familiar with the evaluation and management of testosterone therapy. He was advised that additional evaluation would be needed before determining whether the clinical benefit of TRT outweighed the potential risks.