Research

Hormonal

Testosterone replacement therapy reverses glucocorticoid-induced bone loss and muscle wasting in hypogonadal men, increasing lumbar spine bone density by 5.0% and restoring lean body mass.

If you are a man on long-term steroids (like for asthma) and have low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy can significantly strengthen your bones and restore muscle mass. The treatment involves monthly injections and is generally well-tolerated, though it may lower 'good' cholesterol (HDL). The benefits for bone health and muscle mass often outweigh the risks for men with serious conditions requiring steroids.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Testosterone treatment reverses the deleterious effects of glucocorticoid drugs on skeletal and soft tissues in men. Bone density in the lumbar spine increased 5.0%... There was a gain in body fat mass... and a loss of lean body mass... during the control period, with both changes being reversed by testosterone treatment.
Ian Reid · Archives of Internal Medicine · 1996

Why this rating

Randomized controlled crossover design with a small sample size (n=15) and short duration (12 months per period).

Source

Testosterone Therapy in Glucocorticoid-Treated Men

Ian Reid · Archives of Internal Medicine · 1996

DOI 10.1001/archinte.1996.00440100065008

crossover · n=15Cited 366×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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