Men: Do You Need More Vitamin "T"?

Guys, if you're tired, flabby, depressed and your sex drive was last seen two decades ago, maybe you need a little boost of "vitamin T", also known as the male hormone testosterone.

Or at least, that's what a lot of marketers would like to believe.

Whether it's big Pharm with an FDA approved product, or a natural cure-all by some little firm, that's the message hitting baby boomers right in the land of quick fix.

Supposedly as we age, we make less testosterone. So not only are we less "male", we "suffer" the side effects of the drop in the hormone. And you don't want to know what some of those side effects can be, but they sure sound depressing.

Here's the problem: we don't know whether there is a problem.

First, we don't know what the normal level of testosterone is on a blood test.

We also don't know if it might be harmful to take testosterone (see: Estrogen, Women) For example, does adding testosterone fuel prostate cancer?

Then we don't know whether the stuff really will turn the clock back to the decade of being a 20-something stud. Is it all psychological?

In sum: the jury is still out. Don't get suckered. Might help, but then again, it may be a risky leap of faith which empties your wallet. It sure would be nice if it was the magic bullet, though.

So in the meantime, I need a nap. Plus some sit-ups. And some bench presses. And as for libido, none of your business. But I do think I will hold on the "T".