OFF-LABEL USE AND MISUSE OF TESTOSTERONE, GROWTH HORMONE, THYROID HORMONE, AND ADRENAL SUPPLEMENTS: RISKS AND COSTS OF A GROWING PROBLEM.
Endocr Pract
; 26(3): 340-353, 2020 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32163313
ABSTRACT
Over the past few decades, there has been an unprecedented rise in off-label use and misuse of testosterone, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, and adrenal supplements. Testosterone therapy is often promoted to men for the treatment of low energy, lower libido, erectile dysfunction, and other symptoms. Growth hormone is used in attempts to improve athletic performance in athletes and to attenuate aging in older adults. Thyroid hormone and/or thyroid supplements or boosters are taken to treat fatigue, obesity, depression, cognitive impairment, impaired physical performance, and infertility. Adrenal supplements are used to treat common nonspecific symptoms due to "adrenal fatigue," an entity that has not been recognized as a legitimate medical diagnosis. Several factors have contributed to the surge in off-label use and misuse of these hormones and supplements direct-to-consumer advertising, websites claiming to provide legitimate medical information, and for-profit facilities promoting therapies for men's health and anti-aging. The off-label use and misuse of hormones and supplements in individuals without an established endocrine diagnosis carries known and unknown risks. For example, the risks of growth hormone abuse in athletes and older adults are unknown due to a paucity of studies and because those who abuse this hormone often take supraphysiologic doses in sporadic intervals. In addition to the health risks, off-label use of these hormones and supplements generates billions of dollars of unnecessary costs to patients and to the overall health-care system. It is important that patients honestly disclose to their providers off-label hormone use, as it may affect their health and treatment plan. General medical practitioners and adult endocrinologists should be able to begin a discussion with their patients regarding the unfavorable balance between the risks and benefits associated with off-label use of testosterone, growth hormone, thyroid hormone, and adrenal supplements. Abbreviations DHEA = dehydroepiandrosterone; FDA = U.S. Food and Drug Administration; GH = growth hormone; IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1; LT3 = L-triiodothyronine; LT4 = levothyroxine; T3 = total triiodothyronine; T4 = thyroxine; TSH = thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Uso Off-Label
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Health_economic_evaluation
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
/
Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Endocr Pract
Assunto da revista:
ENDOCRINOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2020
Tipo de documento:
Article