It’s long been thought that higher levels of testosterone in men would lead to an increased risk of prostate cancer. This belief has led many men to accept the side effects of testosterone deficiency as an inevitable part of aging: weight gain, loss of muscle tone, lack of energy, and a decrease in sexual enjoyment. However, recent studies have shown that testosterone therapy is not associated with increases in prostate cancers or any other prostate illnesses.

Many studies have shown that severely limiting testosterone can cause prostate cancer to shrink temporarily. From that, physicians have concluded that raising testosterone levels would make prostate cancer grow. However, no evidence has been found that links testosterone treatment with prostate cancer. In fact, prostate cancer becomes most prevalent at the time in a man’s life when natural testosterone levels decline. In 2002, a study published in the International Journal of Andrology found that men who received testosterone therapy had decreased prostate size, lower PSA numbers and an improvement in urinary symptoms.

Per Dr. Eugene Shippen, author of The Testosterone Syndrome, “All organs of the male reproductive system, including the prostate, tend to stay healthy in the presence of adequate levels of key hormones, including testosterone. Normal concentrations of testosterone and its more powerful derivative may well be harbingers of prostatic health, not illness.”

Make sure you are doing your part to maintain good prostate health- have a digital rectal exam every year, have a blood test called the PSA yearly, and ask your doctor about testosterone therapy to alleviate symptoms of deficiency.

Who needs a PSA and prostate exam? You do, if you are male and over the age of 40. Over 26,000 men died in 2006 from prostate cancer. 1 in every 6 American men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Fortunately, if prostate cancer is detected during a routine yearly exam, it will likely be at an early, treatable stage.

A digital rectal examination (usually called a prostate exam) is a quick exam done at your annual physical. The prostate exam can detect growths or enlargement of the prostate gland. It is only a screening however, your physician cannot diagnose cancer strictly from a prostate exam. If problems are felt, your physician will likely order other tests such as: a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test, or a barium enema. Your physician should order a blood test known as a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) as well. If cancer is suspected after these tests, physicians may order a prostate biopsy to provide a final ,accurate diagnosis.

The PSA is a protein produced by the prostate cells. It is sometimes referred to as a “tumor marker” because enlargement of the prostate, tumors and cancers will cause the levels to increase in your blood. Benign conditions such as inflammation can also cause PSA levels to go up, but when used in conjuction with the prostate exam, PSA tests can be helpful in detecting cancers and pre-cancerous changes in the prostate. Researchers are continuously studying PSA and updating the tests to make them more accurate and meaningful. However, it can be hard to determine how fast a tumor will grow and whether it is cancerous or benign.

It is important to take responsibility for your own health-get regular screenings that can detect problems before they are fatal, and take a few moments to research new technology and findings. Tests and treatments are constantly improving-is your doctor up to date?

Men’s testosterone levels start to drop by 1% to 3% each year starting around age 30. That averages out to a 20% drop by age 50 and a 50% drop by age 80.

What does that mean to you? Low testosterone levels can lead to a whole host of problems, such as: lowered libido, reduced muscle mass, decreased bone density, higher fat mass, obesity, low energy, irritability, and insulin resistance. Low testosterone levels(along with decreased DHEA and IGF-1 levels) are also associated with increased mortality. Your body does not “snap back” from illness or injury like it used to.

Is testosterone replacement the answer? Not necessarily. Your provider needs to consider the reason you have a deficiency. In younger men (those under 50 years old) the problem isn’t usually the lack of testosterone. The pituitary gland may slow down or stop producing luteinizing hormone (LH) . LH stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. Giving a patient that has low LH production testosterone will only compound the problem. With the extra testosterone circulating, the body thinks it’s got enough testosterone and will not even try to produce LH. This patient needs the pituitary gland stimulated to produce his own LH.

On the other hand, the over-50 patient may need supplementation because his testes aren’t producing as much testosterone as they used to.

Some men need a combination of the two approaches. Your provider will look at lab results, history and current symptoms to create the best plan of action for you.