(CBSNews.com) – A new medical study draws a link between testosterone supplements and heart attacks.
An analysis authored by epidemiologist William Finkle and researchers at UCLA of insurance claims for more than 55,000 men looked at the rate of heart attacks within 90 days of starting testosterone. In men 65 and older, the risk more than doubled. In men younger than 65, with a history of heart disease, the risk almost tripled.
Testosterone treatment is approved by the Food and Drug Administration only for conditions linked with so-called “low T” – documented low testosterone levels. But many men without low T are being treated for a variety of symptoms such as fatigue and diminished libido. A study earlier this month found 43 percent of men receiving the hormone had a normal level.