This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 30/2/e1    most recent Author Manuscript (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shindel, A. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Shindel, A. W.

Book Review

Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health

by Abraham Morgentaler, paperback, 216 pp., New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2008. ISBN: 0071494804/9780071494809. Cost: $16.95.

Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, California.

Grading Key =outstanding; =excellent; =good; =fair; =poor.

Type of Book: Single-author book.

Scope of Book: A primer for men and their partners on the biological functions of testosterone (T), the clinical diagnosis of hypogonadism in men, and the potential risks and benefits of T supplementation.

Contents: This book, by a leading expert in T therapy, is divided into 10 chapters covering topics that are essential for patient education on T and T supplementation. Topics addressed include symptoms and signs of low T, the proper evaluation of the possibly hypogonadal man, known benefits of T supplementation, commercially available formulations of T, and potential risks of T supplementation. Particular attention is paid to the link between prostate cancer and T; a very interesting and insightful analysis of how the linkage between T and prostate cancer was first established is included. In the last chapter, the author details preliminary evidence that suggests that T supplementation in hypogonadal men may not only improve quality of life but also yield potentially important benefits with respect to general health.

Strengths: Written in a humorous, honest, and patient-friendly format, this text elaborates on the potential benefits of T therapy using citations from peer-reviewed studies as well as anecdotal evidence from the author's own practice. Each chapter concludes with a series of questions and answers. A compelling case is made for the numerous potentially beneficial effects of T therapy while patients are frankly and openly cautioned that T is neither a panacea nor universally safe. The author's bias in favor of T therapy is quite evident in this text, although this bias is a welcome counterpoint to the prevailingly negative press T gets in much of the rest of the medical and lay literature. There are several useful illustrations, although not all are truly necessary.

Weaknesses: Given the lack of a dissenting opinion commentary within the text itself, it would not be difficult for a lay reader unfamiliar with the complexity of this issue to come away with the impression that the long-term safety profile of T supplementation is well established. This text will not replace the need for a frank and honest discussion between patient and provider about the unique risk/benefit profile of T supplementation in each individual patient.

Recommended Readership: Recommended for men and partners of men who are concerned about male hypogonadism and are considering treatment.

Overall Grading:

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 30/2/e1    most recent Author Manuscript (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shindel, A. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Shindel, A. W.