A friend of mine used to work as a medical assistant in an internal medicine practice. It was in a rural setting and the majority of the patients were older people.

One of the patients was an elderly man who owned a ranch. Although nearly eighty years old, he was a very dapper fellow who always came to the office in a clean white shirt and an immaculate cowboy hat. He received testosterone injections every few weeks, which my friend administered to him.

There came a time when the man needed some lab work done and so he came in to have both procedures. My friend gave him his testosterone injection and then sat him down to draw his blood. While the needle was in his arm he gave her a very suave smile, reached over with his other arm and proceeded to unbutton the top button of her smock. After a momentary shock, my friend perceived the ludicrousness of the situation, and as he started for her second button she said, "No, no Mr. X, none of that." He smiled a little sheepishly at her as she finished the blood draw and sent him on his way.

Still amused at the humor of the situation, she went in to her office manager and started to relate the story. The Doctor, who happened to be a woman, walked by and heard a bit of the conversation. She asked my friend exactly what happened and she told her. The Doctor got a "humph!" expression on her face and said, "Well, no more testosterone for Mr. X."

While those who have never worked in the medical world may not find this story as funny as those who have, it illustrates the point of who should not be given testosterone.

Testosterone, sadly enough for Mr. X, will not make him attractive to the ladies (although you might imagine that his Cadillac and ranch would make him attractive enough!).

Testosterone replacement therapy (or TRT) is meant for use for men who have testosterone deficiency due to the effects of male menopause. At about the age of thirty, the level of testosterone in men's blood begins to decrease at roughly one percent a year until, around his mid-fifties, a man may start to notice. These symptoms might include trouble achieving or maintaining an erection, loss of bone strength and muscle mass, weight gain, and depression. Some men never notice a difference, but some men feel it acutely. The man's physician, after hearing the symptomology, would probably order a blood test, and if the man's testosterone levels are low, might order a round of injections to see if that would improve matters for the man.

Testosterone therapy is indicated for treatment of male menopause. While loss of libido is one symptom of menopause, receiving TRT will not make a man into an instant Romeo. It will help a man feel stronger, but will not make him into a pumped up weight lifter. While helping to improve a man's mood, it will not build his self-esteem into being a leader of men or the life of the party.

While TRT can improve symptoms of male menopause, it is not a wonder drug or the answer to life's problems. But, used properly, it can help.