Testosterone replacement is "fountain of youth" for men - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Several men claim to have found the "fountain of youth," but others say they're not too sure.

The before and after pictures certainly are convincing.

"I started at 245 pounds last October and now I am 185 pounds," said Frank Miller.

Beyond the looks and weight loss, 35-year-old Frank Miller simply feels younger.

"I do feel I am the person I was at 18 years old," he said. "I look great. I feel great and, you know, I am more active. I got more energy."

Frank says the transformation started the day after he started testosterone replacement therapy, where pellets are injected into his hip.

"The next morning, I woke up and it was almost overwhelming. I was kind of, like, 'Wow,' you know, I'm, like, this is how I should feel," he said.

He says it wasn't libido, but he was tired, moody and gaining weight. So he went to see Dr. Jeff DeWester at South Side Family Medicine to see if his testosterone was low. A blood test revealed his levels.

"I was 363. I mean, I am on the high end of low at 35 years old? I should be 800-900, right? I mean, I'm 35," Miller said.

But should he really be 800-900?

Testosterone does decline as men age, so what is an acceptable level? Is low for one man okay for another? And what's the risk of too much?

"That is a very good question and another challenge in this area, because the answer is, officially, 'We don't know'," said DeWester.

The doctor specializes in hormone therapy for men and women.

"It is extremely complex work," DeWester said.

He prescribes pills, gels and patches - and pellets. He says the procedures are "very safe."

"Hormones are already in your body and they are in self-regulating systems, which I am going to affect. Those systems inter-regulate other systems and hormones affect nearly every tissue in the body," he said.

DeWester says keeping the delivery consistent - or what he calls "smooth" - is key to success.

"If I don't get the person smooth, I can make the problem even worse," he said.

Finding the dose that will deliver to maximum benefit is part of the equation.

"The question is, 'How much is too much?'," asked Dr. Kevin Gebke.

Gebke chairs the Family Medicine department at the IU School of Medicine and says when you add hormones, you take on risk.

"Having too much testosterone will lead to increased rate and stroke and vascular problems. We worry about certain types of cancer that could be linked to testosterone overexposure," said Gebke.

"I haven't had any side effects. I haven't had any hair loss. I got lots of hair," Miller said.

After reviewing the images, Gebke is impressed with Frank's dramatic change. He mostly credits Frank's better diet and exercise.

"This doesn't transform you from being unfit to fit. It might help with the energy level and the mood symptoms," Gebke said.

Maybe for Frank, the testosterone provided a boost that was just enough energy to get him going and, his wife says, tame his temper.

"He's a little more calm all the way across the board," Mandy Miller said.

Now there is energy after work to help coach his son's baseball team.

"I love the new me. I am embracing the new me. You know, I am not trying to be vain and I am not trying to be bold, I'm excited about the results that I have gotten for myself," Miller said.

While coverage varies by patient, Frank's health insurance covers most of the expense.

"I just kind of look at the fact that, at this point, it's worth it. It's worth every penny," Miller said.

The therapy is not cheap. The initial screening tests can run $400-800. Then, if you pick pellets, it's $1,000 every time you insert them, up to four times a year. There is then the cost of follow-up testing, to make sure your blood isn't thickening and increasing your stroke risk and to monitor your PSA for prostate cancer risk.

Men who are interested should talk to their doctor. Conventional wisdom now is that if your testosterone is low, you could benefit. But if it's not and you are taking testosterone just to supplement normal levels, it isn't worth the risk.