Testosterone May Improve Men’s Mental Function

A new research study reports in the January 2008 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch that testosterone levels may affect men’s cognitive performance.

The data are far from conclusive, but is an evidence that testosterone levels decline with age, just when memory begins to slow. On the other hand, higher testosterone levels in midlife have been linked to better preservation of tissue in some parts of the brain.  Higher testosterone levels in old men have been also associated with better mental function and better performance on cognitive tests.

The big question is whether testosterone therapy might improve mental function in healthy older men, or even in those with cognitive impairment. This study suggests men should not use testosterone for that until more research findings are available.