Social media misinformation is driving men to NHS clinics in search of testosterone therapy they don’t need, adding pressure to already stretched waiting lists, doctors have said.
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a prescription-only treatment recommended under national guidelines for men with a clinically proven deficiency, confirmed by symptoms and repeated blood tests.
But a wave of viral videos on TikTok and Instagram have begun marketing blood tests as a means of accessing testosterone as lifestyle supplement, advertising the hormone as a solution to problems such as low energy levels, poor concentration and reduced sex drive.
There’s a local talk radio station I sometimes enjoy, that’s been pushing this product/service a lot lately. The ad copy is exactly like all those old generic boner pill ads (which I never hear anymore, interestingly)… The setup is a list of typical male social anxieties plus vague stuff like ‘feeling tired,’ then they promise that more Testosterone is gonna fix all that up for you. Not surprising that it’d be sold on social media too.