crowman
MuscleHead
- Nov 2, 2011
- 1,229
- 204
Testosterone “Supplements” vs. Hormone Replacement Therapy
LifeXMD.com - October 10, 2012 - If you have questions about a lack of energy, disappointing results from exercise or declining sex drive and wondered if it could be your testosterone levels, you’ve no doubt noticed the ads for testosterone “supplements,” such as “Ageless Male” and others. Are they worth it? Are they effective?
Let’s get the easy comparison out of the way first. If you had a broken arm, would you want an Ace bandage and an herbal supplement for pain or a doctor-applied cast and a proven prescription pain reliever? Yes, it’s a flippant comparison, but there is truth to it also.
Unregulated Supplements -- Safe? Effective? It’s Anyone’s Guess.
Advertised testosterone “supplements" contain one or more herbal preparations, which the manufacturers often give pharmaceutical-sounding names to make them sound more credible. For instance, “Ageless Male" consists of the common herb, fenugreek, which they have re-named “Testofen" to make you feel it will affect testosterone levels. How can they do this? Herbal supplements are considered foods, not drugs, by the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, because of this, they are not covered by testing, standards and regulations that apply to prescription drugs.
Herbal supplements cannot make any claims about treating specific medical conditions, because herbal supplements are not subject to clinical trials or to the same manufacturing standards as prescription drugs or even other “over-the-counter” medications, such as aspirin.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that each manufacturer is responsible for the safety of their supplements. Manufacturers do not need FDA approval for marketing supplements. All you have to do to sell an herbal supplement is, well . . . to just start selling it. You don’t need proof that it is effective or even safe.
But the TV Ads Say . . .
Jacob Rosenstein, M.D. is the doctor who appears in the “Ageless Male" ads, claiming to be in better shape than his sons in their 20s. But let’s look a little deeper: Dr. Rosenstein is a neurosurgeon, licensed in Texas, who is the chief doctor of a medical practice called Southwest Age Intervention Institute, which promotes bio-identical hormone replacement. Knowing that, do you really believe that he got all those results from just an herbal supplement? Why is he prescribing testosterone if an herbal supplement alone can make a significant difference?
Ultimately, it’s up to you to make the right choice -- an unregulated, questionably credible testosterone “”supplement” or a physician-supervised program of hormone replacement therapy utilizing proven, prescription pharmaceuticals with a track record of documented results.
LifeXMD is the leader in comprehensive life-enhancing vitality support. Offering physician-supervised bio-identical hormone replacement as well as a full range of wellness modalities, we can help you defy the effects of aging, meet your fitness goals and get back to full enjoyment of your life. Visit www.LifeXMD.com today for more information or to schedule a No Charge Consultation.
LifeXMD.com - October 10, 2012 - If you have questions about a lack of energy, disappointing results from exercise or declining sex drive and wondered if it could be your testosterone levels, you’ve no doubt noticed the ads for testosterone “supplements,” such as “Ageless Male” and others. Are they worth it? Are they effective?
Let’s get the easy comparison out of the way first. If you had a broken arm, would you want an Ace bandage and an herbal supplement for pain or a doctor-applied cast and a proven prescription pain reliever? Yes, it’s a flippant comparison, but there is truth to it also.
Unregulated Supplements -- Safe? Effective? It’s Anyone’s Guess.
Advertised testosterone “supplements" contain one or more herbal preparations, which the manufacturers often give pharmaceutical-sounding names to make them sound more credible. For instance, “Ageless Male" consists of the common herb, fenugreek, which they have re-named “Testofen" to make you feel it will affect testosterone levels. How can they do this? Herbal supplements are considered foods, not drugs, by the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and, because of this, they are not covered by testing, standards and regulations that apply to prescription drugs.
Herbal supplements cannot make any claims about treating specific medical conditions, because herbal supplements are not subject to clinical trials or to the same manufacturing standards as prescription drugs or even other “over-the-counter” medications, such as aspirin.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 states that each manufacturer is responsible for the safety of their supplements. Manufacturers do not need FDA approval for marketing supplements. All you have to do to sell an herbal supplement is, well . . . to just start selling it. You don’t need proof that it is effective or even safe.
But the TV Ads Say . . .
Jacob Rosenstein, M.D. is the doctor who appears in the “Ageless Male" ads, claiming to be in better shape than his sons in their 20s. But let’s look a little deeper: Dr. Rosenstein is a neurosurgeon, licensed in Texas, who is the chief doctor of a medical practice called Southwest Age Intervention Institute, which promotes bio-identical hormone replacement. Knowing that, do you really believe that he got all those results from just an herbal supplement? Why is he prescribing testosterone if an herbal supplement alone can make a significant difference?
Ultimately, it’s up to you to make the right choice -- an unregulated, questionably credible testosterone “”supplement” or a physician-supervised program of hormone replacement therapy utilizing proven, prescription pharmaceuticals with a track record of documented results.
LifeXMD is the leader in comprehensive life-enhancing vitality support. Offering physician-supervised bio-identical hormone replacement as well as a full range of wellness modalities, we can help you defy the effects of aging, meet your fitness goals and get back to full enjoyment of your life. Visit www.LifeXMD.com today for more information or to schedule a No Charge Consultation.