Testosterone supplements could help heart patients

Testosterone supplements helped heart failure patients breathe better and exercise more, according to new research in Circulation Heart Failure. Researchers analyzed four randomized clinical trials of patients with moderate to severe chronic heart failure. Based on the analysis, those who received supplemental testosterone scored 50 percent better in a six-minute walking test than those receiving placebo. Also, in two of the studies, the severity of heart failure mproved one to two grades in 35 percent of treated patients compared to 9.8 percent of those who didn’t receive the supplements. Researchers noted gains in muscle and skeletal endurance that appeared quickly and lasted for at least one year. The studies included 198 patients, 84 percent men. One study exclusively in women who were taking lower doses of testosterone than men, found similar improvements.