It’s amazing to me that in the current era of technology and science, long-standing myths can be perpetuated in medicine with no substantial evidence to back them up.
As an example, many doctors today, even urologists, still believe that testosterone is a harmful hormone. They believe it can cause a myriad of health problems such as blood clots, heart disease, and high cholesterol. This is belied by numerous articles and research studies showing the benefits of testosterone both for men and women. Yet many doctors choose to continue to believe and perpetuate the old “myths” that are not founded in any significant research or evidence.
The Biggest Myth of All
One such myth, and the biggest of them all, is regarding testosterone and prostate cancer. Studies that have tried to connect testosterone to prostate cancer have actually demonstrated the opposite effect. One such study set out to prove that men who had higher testosterone levels had more prostate problems. The conclusion was exactly the opposite.
When Dr. Abe Morgenthaler wrote “Testosterone For Life”, he dug into the myth that testosterone causes prostate cancer. What he found was astonishing. There was one article published stating this in the 1950’s. It was written by a very prominent Urologist at the time, so it wasn’t questioned and became widely accepted dogma. However, what everyone failed to see was that the article was based ON ONE PATIENT! That’s right. One article based on one patient. And it became the Holy Grail for testosterone and prostate cancer for decades, without question.
De-Bunking the Myth
Well, now the wheels are coming off that cart quickly. Not only has testosterone been shown to be health-enhancing in every perspective for both men and women, a recent study from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center reports using high dose testosterone TO TREAT PROSTATE CANCER. That’s right. This is not a typo!
Dr Samuel Denmeade, a medical oncologist, reported in the January 7 issue of Science Translational Medicine that he treated 16 patients suffering with metastatic prostate cancer with testosterone and found that it suppressed some advanced prostate cancers and reversed others that had become resistant to testosterone blocking drugs.
Fourteen of the patients in the study experienced a decrease in the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), with one man whose cancer completely disappeared.
Dr Denmeade warns that patients should not attempt to self medicate with testosterone, and that it needs to be done carefully following an accurately designed protocol.
This valuable study is absolutely ground-breaking in helping to dispel the myth that testosterone is responsible for causing prostate cancer. These are early results in a small study, but certainly promote hope and insight into new approaches to treating prostate cancer with what, for many years, was believed to be a cause.
Incredible Results
I see incredible results similar to this all the time in my patients on hormone therapy, despite the myth (that some doctors still believe and perpetuate) that hormone replacement is harmful and causes cancer.
Health starts to decline exactly at the time of life when hormone levels fall. With this recent study, I hope we start to see the tide turning more to the recognition that hormones are indeed health-enhancing.
I have much more valuable information about the health enhancing benefits of hormone replacement in my book The Reddi Plan. (Follow the link below to read more).
My REDDI PLAN for optimal aging is directly in line with this information. Following my Five Step Principles can help anyone become healthier.
Learn how to become healthier, and remain healthy as you age.If you haven’t already done so, call the office to set up a time to talk about your own personalized healthy aging plan.
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