When testosterone treatment was used in men with low testosterone levels, it significantly increased hemoglobin levels in those who were also anemic, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving nearly 800 individuals.

Participants were ≥65 years of age with average testosterone levels of <275 ng/dL. 126 were anemic; in ~half anemia was unexplained. They received either testosterone or placebo. Among the results:

• 54% of treated patients with unexplained anemia experienced a ≥1.0 g/dL increase in hemoglobin levels at month 12 vs baseline, compared with 15% of those with unexplained anemia taking placebo.
• In patients with a known cause of anemia, these percentages were 52% and 19%, respectively.
• 6 in every 10 treated patients were no longer anemic at month 12, vs 2 in every 10 of those taking placebo.

The authors concluded that there may be clinical value to the findings but that overall benefit has yet to be established.