Men, don`t bother with testosterone pills - study

Testosterone supplements don't do older men much good, Dutch researchers said on Tuesday.

The amount of the hormone in the blood drops naturally as men age and is associated with a decline in physical strength and mental functioning as well as a fatter midsection.

In a study of 230 men aged 60 to 80, those taking testosterone pills in a relatively small dose for six months developed slightly more muscle mass and less fat compared to those not taking the hormone. But the 80-milligram supplements did not provide a boost to overall health or quality of life.

The testosterone supplementation did not have a net health benefit, wrote study author Dr. Marielle Emmelot-Vonk of University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.