Myth 3: Testosterone Damages the Heart

Myth 3: Testosterone Damages the Heart
You can see how this myth started: Men have more testosterone than women, and men have more heart attacks than women. That’s an example of what’s called a causal fallacy.

It’s like believing that every time you turn on “The Young and the Restless,” it causes the neighbor’s dog to start barking. It’s more likely that the mailman comes around the same time that the soap opera starts rather than the dog having some preternatural connection to Devon, Abby, Chance, Lauren, Victoria, or Billy.

Back to men and their hearts: If T is involved in their heart attacks, it’s more likely to do with low T levels as that condition has been associated with an increased risk of disease and mortality from all causes. Quite the contrary to what is commonly believed, there’s overwhelming evidence that T is cardioprotective, helping men and women with their glucose metabolism and lipid profiles (two factors that play a role in heart disease).

Testosterone also expands blood vessels, making it easier for the blood to surge past any plaque or partial blockages. It also has immune-modulating effects that can inhibit the formation of those same blockages.

This isn’t just conjecture, either. Clinical studies have shown T to improve the functional capacity, insulin resistance, and muscle strength in men and women with congestive heart failure.

Of course, a certain amount of T does aromatize (chemically convert) to estrogen, and this excess estrogen can cause adverse side effects in both heart patients and healthy individuals. These side effects would include swelling, anxiety, and weight gain. Furthermore, other medications often used to treat heart disease can increase aromatization, indirectly leading to side effects from T therapy.

The info that you can pocket, though, is that T is largely cardioprotective, and having normal or adequate levels can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.