Human study · Supplements / medicine · 14 Oct 2026
A BMJ editorial says commercial testosterone prescribing is widening beyond men with a clear deficiency
Source: The BMJ
What the research found
Commentary (editorial, not a new trial). Stephen Atkin and Eric Kilpatrick write in The BMJ on 14 Oct 2026 that commercial testosterone prescribing may be reaching people with nonspecific symptoms and borderline tests, not only men with well characterized hypogonadism. NHS community dispensing rose 52 percent from 2020–21 to 2024–25. They cite a UK market near $205 million in 2024, projected near $365 million by 2032, and private subscriptions of about £100 to £375 a month. Up to a fifth of men over 50 may report deficiency symptoms, while under 1 percent are treated in the NHS. Private prescriptions are not counted nationally. The same editorial notes NHS testosterone gel for women aged 50 and older rose from 429 recipients in November 2015 to 4,675 in November 2022, counting people rather than items. Testosterone replacement can help carefully selected patients. Starting, stopping, or buying it outside a clinician is not supported here. Not medical advice. Not a substitute for a prescribed medicine. Off-label use is clinician-only.
Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.
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