A Push to Sell Testosterone Gels Troubles Doctors

[bemildred]

The barrage of advertisements targets older men. “Have you noticed a recent deterioration of your ability to play sports?” “Do you have a decrease in sex drive?” “Do you have a lack of energy?”

If so, the ads warn, you should “talk to your doctor about whether you have low testosterone” — “Low T,” as they put it.

In the view of many physicians, that is in large part an invented condition. Last year, drug makers in the United States spent $3.47 billion on advertising directly to consumers, according to FiercePharma.com. And while ever-present ads like those from AbbVie Pharmaceuticals have buoyed sales of testosterone gels, that may be bad for patients as well as the United States’ $2.7 trillion annual health care bill, experts say.

Sales of prescription testosterone gels that are absorbed through the skin generated over $2 billion in American sales last year, a number that is expected to more than double by 2017. Abbott Laboratories — which owned AbbVie until Jan. 1 — spent $80 million advertising its version, AndroGel, last year.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/10/16/us/a-push-to-sell-testosterone-gels-troubles-doctors.html?from=us

[fitman]

1. Most of that stuff is not needed

If guys would lose the beer gut, their excess 60 lbs and work out in the gym with weights and cardio their testosterone production will go through the roof..trust me. Age 52 and as horny as when I was 16.

But like anything today people want the easy way out..easier to take a pill.

[safeinOhio]

2. Not always.

A year of creams and gels and #s never got up to normal. So, I started doing small weekly self injections. That was the first time I got into the normal range. That helped get me into exercise and an active lifestyle. This has been life changing for me. Not all low-T is in the head, an old injury caused mine. It was in my nuts, not my head. If you think giving myself a weekly injection is the easy way out, I hope you never suffer like I did to the point of having to use a large gauge needle on myself every week. I'm good with it because I see the difference.

We have to be careful when we generalize or prejudge others.

[fitman]

3. I understand

but most guys with low T could increase their t if they became more active and lost that 40-80 lbs they are carrying around.

[safeinOhio]

4. I became more active

and lost 40# with the help of the replacement therapy.

I also blew out a knee doing squats to try and increase my T. Could no longer run, which I loved.

[fitman]

5. I lost 60 lbs so far..

cardio 6 days per week and weights 4... plus eating right


Food intake is so important..I cut out all junk(have a cheat meal once per week) and feel so much better..

Once in a while I binge out on junk food and feel like crap for 1-2 days afterwards..

Constant battle

I ran CC and track in HS..would love to run again but worried about hurting my knees which at this point feel great with no pain..want to keep them this way so I do bicycling and ellipticals only.

[hedgehog]

6. Doctors need to put pressure on each other to stop

writing prescriptions that are unneeded and/or harmful - as much for antibiotics as for this!

[safeinOhio]

7. My GPs were not that well informed.

I found a good Endocrinologist that looked for the cause and came up with the solution. I'd suggest seeing one before any therapy begins.