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Testosterone levels decline as men age; however, whether testosterone supplementation is beneficial in men with low levels remains uncertain. In this randomized trial, U.K. researchers enrolled 274 physically frail community-dwelling older men (mean age, 74) with total testosterone levels ≤345 ng/dL or free testosterone levels ≤7.2 ng/dL. The men received either transdermal testosterone gel or placebo gel for 6 months. Blood testosterone levels doubled in testosterone recipients, and remained unchanged in placebo recipients.
On standardized testing at 6 months, the mean increase from baseline in isometric knee extension strength was significantly greater in the testosterone group than in the placebo group. However, isokinetic knee extension …