Customer Reviews

Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health

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Testosterone for Life is indeed useful as other reviewers have pointed out, but the author simply omits key areas such as testosterone - estrogen balance and how that effects testosterone treatment strategies. Shippen in his book, The Testosterone Solution, describes how a man's estrogen levels can effect his free testosterone levels and how some types of testosterone delivery systems can cause more conversion of testosterone to estrogen than others. More estrogen is not what you want.

If you check out Shippen's book or just do searches on the internet you will see how much discussion there is of the testosterone - estrogen balance and conversion issue. Does Morgentaler disagree with Shippen? Does he think estrogen does not matter? If so, why not say so and explain his position? That would be useful to me. As it is, there is a conversation in books, in articles, in blogs and in men's health forums indicating this is an important area to consider when deciding on testosterone strategies. The author simply ignores this conversation giving no input, acting as if it did not exist. This failure to discuss all the issues does not serve the reader well and it was a disappointment to me.

I think "Testosterone for Life" is the best book on this subject for laypeople seeking diagnosis and treatment. Clearly written and plain spoken, it's easy to overlook the fact that Dr. Morgenthaler is in fact a clinical professor involved in research as well as a practicing Urologist.

"Testosterone For Life" will give you succinct treatment advice and guidance that will help you get on the most optimal path of hormome therapy if you suffer from testosterone deficiency. If you only read one book on this subject - this is the one.

I've suffered from testosterone deficiency for four years, and have been through a variety of Physicians and treatments. Through trial and error, I was underdiagnosed and undertreated for the first two years of treatment. My current Physician's treatment plans and ongoing test assessments completely coincides with Dr. Morgenthaler recommendations. I feel pretty good now.

It took me two years to figure out how to understand my lab assessments, treatment plan options and how to discuss them with my Physician. You can figure it out in one day if you get this book!

What's important about this book for those seeking treatment, is the chapter on the measurement and assessment of testosterone levels. To summarize, many Physicians measure, diagnose and treat testosterone deficiency on the sole basis of one's "Total Testosterone" level. In practice, the measure of "Freely Available Testosterone" is also important in establishing an effective treatment plan and level of medication. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

The rest of the book is excellent as well. As mentioned by other reviewers, the chapters discussing hormone therapy and prostate cancer are thoughtful and present hormone therapy in a new light. Very interesting reading.

A past reference work for me was "The Testosterone Syndrome" by Eugene Shippen, MD. While still a fine book on this subject, it has not been updated in many years.

Dr. Morgentaler will ease any fears you have about supplementing with testosterone under a doctor's care. He explodes the myth that testosterone causes prostate cancer and suggests that it might actually be low testosterone that causes prostate cancer. There are a few people who should not supplement with testosterone but then I'd have to recreate the entire book to tell you who they are. Rather than having me recreate the entire book I'd suggest you read it yourself. It's an easy read (not too technical for the layman)and very informative.

As a prostate cancer survivor, I have read more than my share of books, medical journals, research reports, etc. but this book was the most enlightening. The author did an excellent job explaining everything in terms that we laymen can understand. This is the most up to date information on what has been a very misunderstood, and much maligned treatment option that could benefit a lot of men.

It is indeed gratifying to find that there are still some physicians out there that have the courage to tell others that the "emperor has no clothes" so to speak. Especially when what he has to say is the opposite of what all too many urologists have been led to believe.

Many men have symptoms of low testosterone, but are seldom if ever properly diagnosed, much less treated for it. If you suspect you may be one of them, this book will tell you all you need to know about this topic.

Not just for men. Though low testosterone directly affects men more often than it affects women - and this book is directed primarily at men who suffer or who think they may suffer from low testosterone - the women in men's lives also benefit from reading this book.


Young men (men under 40, especially men 30 and under), rarely have problems with low testosterone.

However, by the time a man reaches 40, some men will have low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between 40 and 49, nearly 10 percent of men will have low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between age 50 and 59, nearly 30 percent of men low total testosterone or low bioavailable testosterone.

Between ages 60 to 69, that percentage increases to more than 40 percent.

The percentage increases even more over the age of 70.


Low testosterone (Low T) can lead to both physical and sexual effects. Low T can contribute to prostate difficulties, increased risk of prostate cancer, Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke); the weakening of bone and muscle mass in men, increased adipose (fat) tissue in men.

Men who are significantly overweight and who have fatty 'male breasts' often suffer from a lack of testosterone, as the increased weight caused some of their testosterone to the hormone estradiol, which causes an increase in breast size.


Men with Low T often have less interest in sex, even if they love their partner, and find their partner attractive. The author cites one patient whom his friends said was lucky because he had such an attractive wife, yet this patient did not want to do anything sexual with her, or with anyone.


Men with Low T are also likely to have difficulty with getting or maintaining an erection, which treatment with Viagra does not seem to cure. Men with Low T are likely to have difficulty reaching orgasm, sometimes known in the medical profession as 'retarded ejaculation.'


In Boston, we would call that "retahded ejaculation."

This, of course, is a huge issue with men - and with the women or woman in a man's life.

Medical conditions or medications can also contribute to sexual difficulties, most notably overweight, diabetes or taking the anti-depressants that are SSRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - which includes many common anti-depressants.

The upside of this is that diagnosis and treatment for Low T is easily available, and it can restore confidence, happiness, and health for a man's life, and their partner.

Males have testosterone from the time they are in the womb, as testosterone imprints itself upon the brain of a male fetus, which accounts for the failed experiments of the 1970s when parents would refuse to give guns to young boys, thinking that the absence of guns would make a boy less likely to behave wild or boyish. Parents were often amazed that boys would pick up sticks or branches and then use them as guns or swords.

Men over the age of 40 who think they might have Low T should talk with their physician, because diagnosis is easily confirmed with some simple blood tests. Treatment is not difficult, either.

Worst is when a person ruminates over possibilities but does not take action.

Of course, not every sexual or marital difficulty is due to Low T or ED. Relationship difficulties can contribute, but if a man has no sexual interest - or low sexual interest in his partner - and little or no sexual interest, generally, Low T could be the cause, according to Morgentaler.

Men who have been successfully treated for Low T reported back to Morgentaler that they could not believe how often they now thought of sex and how much improved their life was, and that the men's wives 'complained that they were chasing after them like a teenager.'

Morgentaler distinguishes between the 'desire for sex' and the 'hunger for sex,' noting that one patient said that he wished to have sex with his wife, whom he very much loved - but that he did not have 'this primal hunger for sex', and clenched his fist.

Early on, it was believed that low desire was primarily a neurological function, and doctors would sometimes pinch the penis to determine the level of sensation in the penis. Doctors often discovered, as Morgentaler did, that their patients jumped across the room, howling in pain.


The chapters include:

Chapter 1: Recognizing the Symptoms

Chapter 2: Testosterone and Your Health: Understanding Testosterone
Chapter 3: Could You Have Low Testosterone?

Chapter 4: What You Should Know About Being Evaluated for Low Testosterone

Chapter 5: Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

Chapter 6: Treatments for Low Testosterone Levels

Chapter 7: Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

Chapter 8: Risks, Side Effects, and Medical Monitoring

Chapter 9: Treating Men Who Have a History of Prostate Cancer

Chapter 10: The Future of Testosterone


A must read.

I've read Dr, Morgentaler's previous two books (The Male Body and The Viagra Myth)and enjoyed them both. So I had pretty high standards for his third, Testosterone For Life. I was not disappointed. Dr. Morgentaler's writing style is clear and unpretentious and his mastery of the subject matter is awesome. The book was not too technical and was really easy to read. I would highly recommend this book to all men. It helps take the fear out of aging and replaces anxiety and confusion with facts and examples that readers will be able to relate to and act on. Great stuff, doc.

There are surprisingly few up-to-date books on the subject of testosterone. This book is definitely worth reading as it corrects a number of testosterone myths and references the latest research. Morgentaler identifies what testosterone levels are considered low from a specialists point of view... which is useful if your doctor is convinced your levels are normal. He identifies which of the testosterone tests are most useful... and which of the measurements are of greatest interest (bioavailable testosterone).

This book could have included a bit more information about what influences testosterone production... as Morgentaler doesn't address the potential dietary or physiological causes of low testosterone. A flow chart of the steps in Testosterone production would have been useful. A bit more on the drugs used to stimulate testosterone production (their structure and method of action) would also have been enlightening. Alternatively a bit on common natural approaches to boosting testosterone... or at least listing the substances commonly cited and proving/disproving their effectiveness.

By the time you get to the end of the book you feel a little like you've got the same message over and over... so there's room for enhancing the delivery.

Nice effort... but overall it feels like there should have been a little bit more in this book. So here's hoping for an enhanced second edition.

:-)

As a physician specializing in bioidentical hormones for women and men, I'm grateful that "Testosterone for Life" is now in print. Dr. Morgentaler does an exceptional job at creating a book the average man can use to learn about the important functions testosterone performs, symptoms of deficiency, and options for supplementation. I've been educating patients, physicians, and pharmacists for years about bioidentical testosterone and this book will be a great "nuts and bolts" primer for the lay person and healthcare professional.

Written by an expert in testosterone therapy, Testosterone for Life covers all aspects of testosterone & testosterone supplementation in a witty and accessible style. Drawing on 30 years' research, the author discusses the role of this hormone in the body, symptoms of its deficiency, safe supplementation and its benefits, plus the latest scientific breakthroughs. He uses anecdotes from his practice backed by established data and the latest research. The chapters conclude with case studies of men who have benefited by supplementation and a question & answer section. The book confirms Dr William Regelson's claims for testosterone in his groundbreaking book The Superhormone Promise but is more extensive and up to date.

The symptoms of deficiency include libidinal dysfunction in many men over 40 years, erectile dysfunction, loss of energy, lethargy, fatigue, low mood or clinical depression, muscle loss and fat gain. Low testosterone also increases the risk of osteoporosis and resultant fractures. Boosting testosterone levels may lead to improved overall health, increased vitality, sharper mental agility and an increase in lean muscle mass whilst reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Various ways of supplementation like the patch, gel, injection & pellet, possible side effects & medical monitoring are examined in detail.

Morgentaler's research revealed that the historical fear of higher testosterone levels increasing the risk of prostate cancer is baseless, lacking scientific support. In fact the latest research results indicate just the opposite; that prostate cancer risk may be greater among men with low levels of the hormone. In the last chapter, the author investigates preliminary evidence which suggests that testosterone supplementation may profoundly improve quality of life by means of a wide array of general health benefits. Testosterone for Life is an informative read and valuable reference guide. The text is enhanced by illustrations.

Of course testosterone is not the only natural hormone of which supplementation brings about improved health. The body's production of all of them declines with age. The benefits of DHEA, part of which is converted into testosterone in the body, are discussed by Stephen Cherniske and Ray Sahelian who has also written informative books on melatonin and pregnenolone. Ronald Klatz & Robert Goldman have long investigated anti-aging and age reversal techniques; testosterone is amongst the substances examined in their latest work The Official Anti-Aging Revolution.

Hands down, this is the new top choice as a practical guide for testosterone for "regular men," not those looking to get pumped up. "The Testosterone Syndrome" used to fill that bill and is still informative, but this is the new top of the pile, being current (10 years newer), comprehensive, and readable.

Having also read this Harvard doctor's scientific publications (no, I'm not a friend of the author), it's clear he knows what he's talking about and is up on the new data that refutes old myths. Covers the newest FDA-approved form, steady-release pellets, along with gels. The Q&A sections are particularly helpful and true to life.

For more comparison of testosterone books, see my "Listmania" guide "Men's hormones for healthy aging, not bodybuilding or vanity." But as of February 2009, this is an obvious first choice.