Picture: DEA (PD)
Carl Pettit writes at the Good Men Project:
I’ve noticed over the years how commercials have become longer and louder, and how the number of ads for prescription drugs have steadily increased. The latter is probably due, at least in part, to the baby boomers hitting retirement age.
The advertisements that have caught my attention this time around are for underarm testosterone treatments. I’d never seen testosterone ads on television before, but these promos seem to be running all the time, although, for obvious reasons, I didn’t catch any when I watched The View (not my normal fodder) this morning, which was a refreshing change.
Men with low or no testosterone should consult their doctors, and take part in testosterone treatment if needed, yet I’m exceedingly distrustful of national ad campaigns plugging the benefits of topical testosterone without educating the public about the specific reasons a man should take testosterone in the first place. Instinct tells me there are men out there who hear the word ‘testosterone,’ and think, “Yeah, that’s my hormone. I’ll be more macho, my libido will soar, and the girls won’t be able to keep their hands off me.” Such is the mindset of the low information consumer.
I believe there are two reasons why television ads should not be pushing prescription medication, no matter the drug in question. First of all, most laymen don’t know as much about pharmacology as doctors and pharmacists do (at least I hope that’s the case). Let’s take a look at our imaginary friend Joe, a guy who really isn’t a candidate for testosterone treatment, but happens to catch a testosterone ad on television one day. Joe likes what he sees, and decides he wants to me more ‘manly,’ in the traditional sense of the word, similar to a mixed martial arts fighter, perhaps, like Jon Jones. The advisement then instructs Joe to tell his doctor about this wonderful new product. He’s been coached to ask his dealer, in this case his doctor, to give him a drug that he probably doesn’t need, based upon knowledge he received from a 30 second television spot. If Joe were a true candidate for testosterone treatments, his doctor should be the one telling him about his options, not the other way around. If our hypothetical friend doesn’t trust his doctor, or believes he’s better informed because he watches a lot of TV, he might want to sign up for medical school, or find a different doctor.
The second reason, and something that actually bothers me more than the ‘pusher’ nature of these ads, are the horrendous side effects. Again, if someone really has a testosterone problem, or another nettlesome medical condition, the side effects might be worth the risks, but these decisions shouldn’t be made with information gathered from the same folks who use the same marketing techniques to get us to buy a new flavor of Twinkie.
In case you were wondering, and haven’t been watching television recently (I have, and my brain hurts), here are some of the potential side effects the underarm testosterone advertisements warn of:
Product can transfer from your body to others, causes signs of puberty not expected in young children, causes enlarged penis or clitoris in children through secondary contact, increases aggressive behavior, increases acne, harms unborn or breast-feeding babies, aggravates enlarged prostate gland, increases nightly urination, increases risk of prostate cancer, lowers sperm count, swelling of ankles and body, sleep apnea, blood clots in the legs, diarrhea, headaches, vomiting … .
I’m not picking on testosterone commercials exclusively here; it’s just that I’ve noticed a huge upsurge in testosterone marketing. The brutal side effects seem like they would deter all but the most committed and serious user, but I’m not entirely sure that’s the case.
Read more here.
