One of the most sentinel reports in 2023 was the findings from a recent study on Testosterone Replacement therapy for Assessment of long-term Vascular Events and efficacy ResponSE in hypogonadal men (also known as TRAVERSE). This study was done after the Food and Drug Administration asked for more data assessing the heart attack risk in men on testosterone therapy. 

The Study
The study enrolled over 5,076 men aged 45 to 80 with a starting testosterone level below 300 ng/dl. The study only looked at men on testosterone therapy administered by testosterone topical gel of 1.62%. The men enrolled in this study were kept on a testosterone dose to keep their therapeutic levels between 350 and 750 ng/dL. They found that the risk for a major heart attack, stroke, or death was the same (no statistical difference) for men on testosterone therapy versus placebo. However, this study did not include men on injectable testosterone cypionate therapy, a very popular treatment known as TRT. 

Takeaway
The authors also caution that they would not extrapolate these findings to groups of men who were on more potent testosterone therapy through injections, TRT. There is abundant caution that men on TRT might have increased risk for heart attack or stroke when testosterone levels are above 750 ng/dL .

Testosterone Enhancements Versus Replacement!
The practitioners at The Y Factor encourage men to undergo testosterone enhancement therapy instead of testosterone replacement therapy since it promotes natural production of testosterone from the testicles in the more physiological range of 300 to 750 ng/dL. One of the benefits of testosterone enhancement therapy is avoidance of the large testosterone level spikes after TRT testosterone injections administration.

Men undergoing testosterone treatment should also be concerned about worsening obstructive sleep apnea. So, if you have any history of snoring or sleep apnea, then you need to discuss this with your doctors and perform a sleep study prior to starting testosterone treatment.

Want to learn more about how The Y Factor can help with testosterone enhancement? Schedule your appointment today with one of our premium urological providers at our conveniently located Memorial location. 

Russel H. Williams, MD

Dr. Russel H. Williams is the founder, CEO and CMO of The Y Factor and brings more than 20 years of experience. Dr. Williams earned his Medical Degree at the University of Texas at Dallas Southwestern Medical Center, where he graduated at the top of his class. He completed his urology residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, then completed a male reproductive medicine and microsurgery visiting fellowship at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, New York. Dr. Williams is an active member of the American Urological Association, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and peers recognize him as one of only a handful of Reproductive Urologists focusing on men’s urological wellness & fertility.