Body composition changes with testosterone replacement therapy following spinal cord injury and aging: A mini review

Hypogonadism, a condition where the body doesn't produce enough testosterone, can affect body composition, bone density, and overall well-being. This review explores testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as a potential solution, particularly for men with spinal cord injury (SCI). The review synthesizes data from SCI cohorts and studies on aging men to assess how TRT impacts lean body mass (LBM) and fat mass (FM). It considers transdermal TRT, its effects on bone mineral density, and safety aspects. The conclusion emphasizes the need for further research to establish clinical guidelines for TRT dosage and duration in SCI patients. It advocates for randomized controlled trials to evaluate TRT's efficacy and safety in this population.

• 1
  Transdermal TRT can increase LBM and reduce FM over 3–36 months, relative to placebo, in hypogonadal elderly men and to a lesser extent in men with SCI.
• 2
  Larger doses of testosterone resulted in greater increases in LBM, with the polynomial line of best fit suggesting the best dose is ∼8 mg/day.
• 3
  Longer durations of TRT demonstrated greater fat mass losses, but there was no clear impact of increasing the dose.