Testosterone Optimization Therapy (TOT) has been observed to help prevent osteoporosis and frailty in aging men and women which are usually the number 1 cause of death for the elderly. In multiple studies involving aging men, low testosterone levels are associated with lower skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, physical function, bone mineral density and higher risk of fractures and death. Low testosterone levels clearly cause bone disease in men, as testosterone is indisputably linked to bone health. Optimized blood testosterone levels increase bone density and impede the normal bone resorption issues that come with age (i.e., breakdown and destruction of bone tissue). Men who suffer from bone disease usually have suboptimal levels of testosterone, and this leads to frailty in old age 55.
The last thing any man wants is to end up with a deteriorated hip or spine that completely limits their range of motion later in life. No man wants to be a shadow of his former glory, stuck in a rocking chair and unable to move. If you want ideal bone health into your later years, you owe it to yourself to optimize your testosterone levels. More and more physicians are using a SERM (such as Clomid, Nolvadex or Toremifene) or even an AI (such as Arimidex) as the entirety of a โTOTโ protocol. These medications will elevate luteinizing hormone (LH) and overall total testosterone levels, so itโs easy to see why such an approach would be taken.
From our experience and the most prominent research done to this date on AIโs in men, patients rarely report long-term bene๏ฌts from these strategies. Due to scientific studies showing the negative consequences to bone mineral density from long-term overuse of AI medications, we adamantly recommend that AIโs are ONLY used for short periods of time. This is to get estrogen levels within an acceptable therapeutic range where hormonal balance is achieved, and side effects are alleviated. A much safer and effective strategy is to either reduce the testosterone dosage or alter the dosing schedule to deal with the symptoms of excess estrogen.