The University of Pittsburgh is looking into whether testosterone supplements would help older men regain their physical health and sexual function and reduce their risk of heart problems. The largest national study to date on the effects of testosterone treatment is seeking men 65 and older to find out if correcting low levels of the male hormone improves physical and mental health.

The Testosterone Trial (T Trial), a multi-center study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, will explore whether hormone therapy can improve diminished physical function, low vitality, impaired cognition, reduced sexual function, cardiovascular disease and anemia - all of which have been linked to low levels of testosterone. Testosterone occurs naturally in the body and is responsible for the maintenance of muscle mass and strength, bone density, sexual function, physical energy and sense of well-being.

"Four to five million men in the U.S. have low levels of testosterone and yet many of these men don't receive treatment," said Jane Cauley, Dr.P.H., professor of epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, and principal investigator of the Pitt study site.

"Testosterone levels generally decline as men get older, but for some, this deficiency can have a major impact on quality of life," added Susan Greenspan, M.D., the study's co-investigator and professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. "By exploring whether treatment is effective, we may be able to help men with low levels of the hormone remain healthy and independent longer."

T Trial investigators are encouraging men to have their testosterone levels screened as part of the study if they are 65 and older and have one of the following conditions: anemia, decreased physical function, low vitality, impaired cognition or reduced sexual function. Men with low levels of testosterone who participate in the study will be randomly assigned to receive a testosterone or placebo gel to be applied to either the torso, abdomen or upper arms.

Serum testosterone will be measured monthly for the first three months and then every four months for up to a year. Participants will be tested on a range of measures to evaluate physical function, vitality, cognition, cardiovascular disease and sexual function.

"This study is important because testosterone products have been marketed for many years as treatments for a variety of conditions," said Evan C. Hadley, M.D., director of NIA's Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology, which is the primary funder of the trial.  "We hope this trial will establish whether testosterone therapy results in clear benefits for older men."

Additional information about the study is available at www.ttrial.org . Men interested in finding out more about the trial or whether they may be eligible should call the University of Pittsburgh at 800-872-3653.