Key Summary
- Viral misinformation pushes men toward unneeded testosterone replacement therapy
- Private clinics and influencers promote easy access despite UK rules
- Unnecessary testosterone use can harm fertility, heart health, and mood
Social media’s misinformation on testosterone is encouraging men to go for unnecessary and even harmful treatments.
Many men are seeking prescription-only treatments like testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which is adding to the pressure faced by NHS.
Generally, men with a clinically proven deficiency, as evidenced by symptoms and repeated blood tests, are eligible for this treatment under national guidelines.
Viral TikTok and Instagram videos are promoting blood tests as a shortcut to get testosterone as a lifestyle booster for low energy, poor focus, and low sex drive.
Advertising of prescription drugs is illegal in the UK.
Unnecessary intake of testosterone can damage natural hormone production, resulting in infertility, high risk of blood clots, heart problems, and mood disorders.
The Guardian has found that many social media influencers are collaborating with private health clinics to promote such misinformation.
The discounts and giveaways in these videos easily attract the public to imitate these practices.
What was once a specialised treatment for genuine hormone deficiency is now promoted as a lifestyle enhancer, with online providers offering simple at-home tests and subscription-based access.
“There are specific clinical guidelines on who should and should not be started on testosterone. Certain symptoms, such as erectile dysfunction, are clearly associated with low testosterone,” said Professor Channa Jayasena, of Imperial College London, chair of the Society for Endocrinology Andrology Network.
He added men being not “muscly” is not necessarily a symptom of testosterone deficiency.
The most worrying thing is these clinics are starting testosterone for men with normal testosterone levels, Jayasena added.
