HRT for men 'can improve sex lives of the elderly' after new hormone therapy sees increases to low libido

Form of HRT therapy could treat older men with low levels of testosterone 

Men who were given hormone became more interest in sex and had more 

Whereas participants given a placebo saw no improvement in their sex life

Men treated during 12 month study saw consistent improvement in libido

A male hormone therapy can give elderly men their sex drive back and cure erection problems, a new study found.

Older men with a low libido and depleted testosterone levels can be treated with a male form of HRT therapy to get them once more active between the sheets. Men given the hormone became more interest in sex, had more sex and were able to get erections at night.

But those given a placebo saw no improvement in their sex life.

Testosterone is a key male sex hormone involved in maintaining sex drive, erectile function and sperm production.

But as men age levels of the hormone drop. The largest study to date in older men was designed to investigate the effectiveness of testosterone therapy.

The trial involved 470 heterosexual men aged of 65 with low testosterone levels and symptoms of testosterone deficiency Dr Glenn Cunningham, of Baylor College of Medicine and Baylor St. Luke's Medical Centre in Houston, Texas, said: 'Our findings indicate low testosterone is one cause contributing to reduced libido and erectile dysfunction in older men. 'Men experiencing these symptoms should be evaluated for testosterone deficiency.'

During the year-long study, the men received either testosterone gel or a placebo applied to the skin.

They answered questionnaires about their sex life at the start and then ever three months during the 12-month study.

The men treated with testosterone therapy showed consistent improvement in libido and in 10 of the 12 sexual activity measurements, including frequency of intercourse, masturbation and night time erections.

Dr Cunningham added: 'For symptomatic older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone therapy led to consistent improvement in most types of sexual activity.'

The Endocrine Society's Clinical Practice Guideline recommends using testosterone therapy to treat men with symptoms of androgen deficiency and low levels of testosterone.

Androgen deficiency occurs when a man has consistently low levels of testosterone and resulting symptoms such as sexual dysfunction.

In the past 15 years, use of testosterone therapy has rapidly expanded among men.

Testosterone levels decline as men age, and some men develop low testosterone levels and symptoms.

Since 2000, the number of men beginning testosterone therapy has almost quadrupled in the US according to a 2014 study published in the same Journal.