there was not an improvement in erectile function

There has been quite a lot written in the press about how testosterone replacement therapy can help many men suffering from low levels of sexual desire which sometimes leads to erectile dysfunction. However a new study done shows that the simple act of supplementing testosterone in elderly men is not always a sure fire way of boosting erectile function.

According to Professor Lauren Roth from the University of Colorado clinical studies done using testosterone replacement and placebos did not produce dramatic erectile function results. For the yearlong study the men all of whom had borderline low testosterone and were aged 60 or older were either given a low-dose [25 mg/day] testosterone gel, a regular-dose [50 mg/day] testosterone gel or a placebo.

Professor Roth explained that despite the fact that the testosterone replacement therapy improved the testosterone levels of the majority of men and brought them into the normal androgenic range, there was not an improvement in erectile function measured by using Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) instrument scores.

The 167 men who took part in the study were divided into three more or less equal groups and there was no significant difference in age or testosterone levels at the start of the study. It was also seen that all three groups of men suffered from mild to moderate erectile dysfunction which the study authors expected to cure to a certain extent throughout the study.

This study shows that using testosterone supplementation will not necessarily improve erectile function and that therefore that the problem could be connected to weak blood flow in the penile artery which would be more likely to be remedied by the use of one of the three erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra, Cialis or Levitra.

This research was presented to the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.