From Sloan Kettering, John P. Mulhall, MD Tuesday, October 8, 2019. Despite the intention to reduce testosterone temporarily, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) may lower it for prolonged periods in patients over the age of 65 or those who take ADT for more than six months, according to the results of our recent retrospective study. Given the range of duration for the use of ADT and the adverse health events associated with low testosterone (low T), clinicians should discuss these findings with patients before initiating ADT.The odds of remaining castrate after two years were almost four times higher for patients who received ADT for more than six months and more than three times higher for those with baseline TT levels below 400 ng/dL. (1)

Testosterone is involved in many bodily functions, including physical, sexual, metabolic, and cognitive processes. Persistently low T levels are associated with significant health risks and a lower quality of life. Adverse effects include the loss of bone mineral density, (7)glycemic control issues, (8)lipid abnormalities, (9)cardiovascular events, and cognitive dysfunction. (10)

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