The report, done in conjunction with researchers at the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, studied more than 8,700 men with diagnosed low testosterone levels who had an angiogram to look at their arteries. That result found that the 7,500 men who did not get testosterone treatments had a ratio of one in five with bad cardiovascular conditions that caused stroke, heart attack or death.

But of the group that did get testosterone treatments – 1,200 men – one in four had a stroke, heart attack or death, which represents a 30 percent increase over those who did not. Thus, taking a testosterone treatment is a real roll of the medical dice, at least for older men who have other problems -- those in the study were older veterans. Whether it affects young men in the same way is still up for debate.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Low testosterone is determined by a blood test that will sample the blood at different times of the day as levels change. The highest testosterone level occurs at 8:00 a.m. for most men.

If there is a diagnosis of low testosterone, doctors have several options for treatment. These include:

1)    Injections: This is an injection of testosterone done every 10 to 14 days.

2)    Testosterone patches: Like smoking cessation, these are worn every day and applied to different body parts, including the arms, back, abdomen and buttocks.

3)    Testosterone gels: These are daily applications to clean and dry skin on the upper back and arms. Extreme care has to be taken to make sure it is not accidentally transferred to another partner.