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The history of testosterone therapy dates back to the 1930s when scientists discovered the role of testosterone in the development of male sexual characteristics. The first successful isolation of testosterone from animal testes was achieved in 1935 by Adolf Butenandt and Leopold Ruzicka.
This discovery paved the way for the development of synthetic testosterone and its use in medical treatments.
In the 1940s and 1950s, testosterone therapy was primarily used to treat hypogonadism, a medical condition characterised by low levels of testosterone in men.
Hypogonadism was seen to cause a range of symptoms, including low sex drive, decreased muscle mass, and decreased bone density. Testosterone therapy was found to be an effective treatment for hypogonadism, and it soon became widely available to patients.
In the 1960s and 1970s, testosterone therapy was used for other medical conditions, including osteoporosis and muscle wasting. Testosterone was found to increase bone density and muscle mass in men, which made it an effective treatment for these conditions.
However, in the 1980s, concerns were raised about about the safety of testosterone therapy and restricted the use of the medication. A badly done study had suggested that testosterone therapy could increase the risk of prostate cancer. This has since been thoroughly debunked. As a result, the availability of testosterone therapy was restricted, and its use was limited to men with severe medical conditions.
In the 1990s, new forms of testosterone therapy were developed, including transdermal patches and gels. These new forms of therapy were found to be safer than the older forms of therapy, and they soon became widely available to patients.
The use of testosterone therapy in the UK has increased significantly in recent years. According to the NHS, the number of men prescribed testosterone therapy in England increased from 17,000 in 2006 to 51,000 in 2018. This represents a threefold increase in just over a decade.
The availability of testosterone therapy has been influenced by political factors throughout its history. In the early years of testosterone therapy, the drug was widely available to patients without many restrictions. However, in the 1980s, the FDA raised concerns about the safety of testosterone therapy, and the drug was restricted.
In the US, one of the major political influences on the availability of testosterone therapy was the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994. This act exempted dietary supplements, including testosterone boosters, from regulation by the FDA. As a result, many testosterone boosters were marketed as dietary supplements and were widely available to consumers without the need for a prescription.This led to an increase in the use of testosterone boosters, which were often of poor quality and contained dangerous ingredients.
Another political influence on the availability of testosterone therapy was the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. This act classified anabolic steroids, including testosterone, as Schedule III controlled substances. As a result, the use of anabolic steroids became illegal without a prescription, and the penalties for their possession and distribution became much more severe.
This had a significant impact on the availability of testosterone therapy, as it made it much more difficult for patients to access the drug. Doctors were hesitant to prescribe testosterone therapy due to the potential legal and ethical ramifications, and patients were forced to seek alternative treatments.
In 2004, the FDA issued a warning regarding the safety of testosterone therapy, stating that it may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This led to further restrictions on the availability of testosterone therapy, and many doctors were hesitant to prescribe the drug. However, subsequent studies have challenged and debunked these claims, but sadly the safety of testosterone therapy remains a topic of debate within the medical community because the lasting impact of th studies have lingered.
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the benefits of testosterone therapy, and its availability has increased in the private sector. There are still many political and regulatory barriers that restrict the use of testosterone therapy. In some countries, testosterone therapy is only available to men with severe medical conditions, and in others, it is completely illegal.
Testosterone therapy has a long and complex history, and its availability has been influenced by political factors throughout the years. While testosterone therapy is now widely available and has been shown to be an effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions, there are lingering biases based on poor studies that linger in the clinical and non clinical world. More open discussion and education is needed in this area to ensure the men needing this treatment aren’t missing out on life changing medical care.
