madman
Super Moderator
Testosterone, other androgens, and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are being developed to treat age-related functional limitations and chronic diseases. Testosterone treatment increases lean body mass, muscle strength, power, aerobic capacity, and mobility in various populations. It improves bone density, sexual function, and depressive symptoms while correcting anemia. However, its effects on walking speed and cardiovascular/prostate safety require further research. To achieve functional improvements, strategies are needed to translate muscle gains into functional benefits. Combined administration of testosterone or SARMs with multidimensional functional exercise should be explored in future studies to promote neuromuscular adaptations and meaningful functional improvements.
Take home points
*Well-conducted, randomized placebo-controlled trials consistently show that testosterone treatment is safe and improves lean body mass, strength, stair-climbing power, and self-reported function in healthy older men and those with chronic diseases.
* However, testosterone treatment has not consistently improved performance-based measures of physical function.
*Previous studies may have had limitations in the measures of physical function used, lacking the ability to detect meaningful differences between placebo and testosterone-treated groups.
*The duration of previous trials may not have been sufficient to observe the neuromuscular adaptations needed to translate strength gains into functional improvements.
*Other factors such as nutritional intake, comorbid conditions, alcohol/substance use, and physical activity may influence the response to testosterone treatment.
*Stair-climbing speed and power have shown more consistent improvements in testosterone trials compared to walking speed, suggesting the need for strategies to translate muscle gains into functional improvements.
* Future studies should explore combined testosterone supplementation with multidimensional functional exercise training to improve strength, walking ability, stair-climbing ability, balance, and cognitive/behavioral training to achieve meaningful functional improvements and reduce physical disability.
Take home points
*Well-conducted, randomized placebo-controlled trials consistently show that testosterone treatment is safe and improves lean body mass, strength, stair-climbing power, and self-reported function in healthy older men and those with chronic diseases.
* However, testosterone treatment has not consistently improved performance-based measures of physical function.
*Previous studies may have had limitations in the measures of physical function used, lacking the ability to detect meaningful differences between placebo and testosterone-treated groups.
*The duration of previous trials may not have been sufficient to observe the neuromuscular adaptations needed to translate strength gains into functional improvements.
*Other factors such as nutritional intake, comorbid conditions, alcohol/substance use, and physical activity may influence the response to testosterone treatment.
*Stair-climbing speed and power have shown more consistent improvements in testosterone trials compared to walking speed, suggesting the need for strategies to translate muscle gains into functional improvements.
* Future studies should explore combined testosterone supplementation with multidimensional functional exercise training to improve strength, walking ability, stair-climbing ability, balance, and cognitive/behavioral training to achieve meaningful functional improvements and reduce physical disability.
