How scientists figured out how to give men the right kind of testosterone
ENDOCRINE HISTORY: The history of discovery, synthesis and development of testosterone for clinical use.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Long ago, people thought putting testicles into men could fix low energy, but it didn’t work. Then in 1935, scientists found and made testosterone in a lab. They learned you can’t swallow it—it gets destroyed in the liver—so they had to inject it or change its shape. After 85 years of trying, they finally made versions that work like the body’s own testosterone.
Surprising Findings
Testicle transplants for hypogonadism had only placebo effects
Many assume historical medical practices were at least partially effective—this study explicitly says they weren’t, despite being widely used.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re considering testosterone therapy, ask your doctor whether your delivery method (pill, gel, shot) can achieve stable, natural hormone levels.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Long ago, people thought putting testicles into men could fix low energy, but it didn’t work. Then in 1935, scientists found and made testosterone in a lab. They learned you can’t swallow it—it gets destroyed in the liver—so they had to inject it or change its shape. After 85 years of trying, they finally made versions that work like the body’s own testosterone.
Surprising Findings
Testicle transplants for hypogonadism had only placebo effects
Many assume historical medical practices were at least partially effective—this study explicitly says they weren’t, despite being widely used.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re considering testosterone therapy, ask your doctor whether your delivery method (pill, gel, shot) can achieve stable, natural hormone levels.
Publication
Journal
European journal of endocrinology
Year
2019
Authors
E. Nieschlag, S. Nieschlag
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Claims (5)
Testosterone is the main hormone in guys that affects almost every part of the body, from muscles to mood to energy levels.
In the past, doctors sometimes transplanted testicles into men who had low testosterone, hoping it would help, but it didn’t actually work—any improvement was just in their heads.
In 1935, a scientist named Ernst Laqueur first pulled testosterone out of a biological sample, and two other scientists, Adolf Butenandt and Leopold Ruzicka, figured out how to make it in a lab that same year.
If you take testosterone by mouth, your liver breaks it down before it can do anything in your body, so doctors have to give it as a shot or change its chemical structure so it survives digestion.
For the last 85 years, doctors and scientists have been slowly making testosterone medicines better so they mimic the natural levels of testosterone your body usually has.