Research
Hormonal
Testosterone supplementation in older men with low testosterone levels does not consistently improve muscle strength or functional ability, despite increasing lean body mass and decreasing fat mass.
If you are an older man with low testosterone, testosterone therapy may increase your lean body mass and decrease fat, but it is unlikely to make you stronger or improve your physical function. It does not replace the need for exercise, and the long-term safety and benefits for healthy older men remain unproven.
GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
A double-blind placebo-controlled study showed that GH with or without sex steroids in healthy women (n = 57) and men (n = 74) aged 65–88 years increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass [48]. However, there was no change in muscle strength or maximal oxygen uptake during exercise.
Why this rating
Based on multiple randomized, controlled, double-blind trials, though some had limitations (e.g., brief duration, lack of strength assessment).
Source
The endocrine system and ageing
HS Chahal et al. · The Journal of Pathology · 2007
DOI 10.1002/path.2110
narrative_reviewCited 313×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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