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Misleading Social Media Drives Unnecessary Testosterone Visits to NHS Clinics for Men

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Authorities warn that misinformation on social media is pushing men to NHS clinics for unnecessary testosterone treatments, exacerbating already strained waiting lists.

Testosterone therapy is a prescription-only treatment recommended under national guidelines for men who display clinically verified deficiencies, validated through symptoms or consistent blood tests.

However, a surge of viral content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram is promoting blood tests as a means to receive testosterone as a lifestyle supplement, marketing it as a cure for issues like low energy, diminished focus, and decreased libido.


Medical professionals warn that taking unwarranted testosterone can inhibit natural hormone production, result in infertility, and elevate risks for blood clots, heart disease, and mood disorders.

The increasing demand for online consultations is becoming evident in medical facilities.

Professor Channa Jayasena from Imperial College London and chair of the Endocrine Society Andrology Network noted that hospital specialists are witnessing a rise in men taking these private blood tests, often promoted through social media, and being inaccurately advised that they require testosterone.

“We consulted with 300 endocrinologists at a national conference, and they all reported seeing patients in these clinics weekly,” he said. “They’re overwhelming our facilities. We previously focused on adrenal conditions and diabetes, and it’s significantly affecting NHS services. We’re left wondering how to manage this situation.”

While advertising prescription medications is illegal in the UK, the Guardian discovered that several TikTok influencers collaborate with private clinics to promote blood tests legally marketed as part of testosterone therapy.




Advocates of testosterone replacement therapy, who boast large followings, receive compensation or incentives from private clinics to promote discount codes and giveaways. Photo: TikTok

Supporters of testosterone replacement therapy, amassing thousands of followers, are incentivized by private clinics to advertise discount offers and promotions to encourage men to assess their testosterone levels and possibly pursue treatment.

One popular post shows a man lifting weights, urging viewers: “Get your testosterone tested… DM me for £20 off.” Another video suggests that a free blood test is available as part of an incentive to “enhance” his performance.

The Guardian notified the Advertising Standards Authority about these posts for potentially violating regulations regarding prescription drugs, triggering an investigation by the oversight body.

Jayasena stated, “I recently attended the National Education Course for the Next Generation of Endocrine Consultants, where many expressed concerns about reproductive health and the escalating trend of men being pushed to boost their testosterone levels.”

He added: “Beyond just influencers, this issue is significant. Healthcare professionals are encountering patients who come in for private blood tests, possibly arranged through influencers, and being incorrectly advised by inexperienced medical personnel that they should commence testosterone therapy. This guidance is fundamentally flawed.”

In private clinics, the initial year of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) ranges from £1,800 to £2,200, covering medication, monitoring, and consultations.

Originally a specialized treatment for a limited group of men with clinically diagnosed hormone deficiencies, TRT is now increasingly viewed as a lifestyle or “performance enhancement” option. Online clinics are also offering home blood tests and subscription services, making such treatments more easily accessible outside conventional healthcare routes.




In private clinics, the initial year of comprehensive testosterone replacement therapy costs approximately £1,800 to £2,200. Photo: Ian Dewar/Alamy

These messages imply that diminished motivation, exhaustion, and aging signify “low T,” leading more men to seek testing and treatment, despite medical advice restricting TRT to individuals with confirmed hormonal deficiencies.

Professor Jayasena remarked: “There are specific clinical protocols dictating who should or shouldn’t consider testosterone therapy. Some symptoms, like erectile dysfunction, undeniably correlate with low testosterone, whereas others, like muscle mass or feeling down, do not. A man might express dissatisfaction with his muscle tone and be advised to get tested, yet evidence supporting the necessity of such testing remains scarce.”

“What’s particularly alarming is that some clinics are now administering testosterone to men with normal testosterone levels. Research shows there’s no benefit to testosterone levels exceeding 12 nmol/L. I have also received reports of clinics providing testosterone to individuals under 18, a significant demographic.”

He explained that unnecessary testosterone usage can lead to infertility: “It inhibits testicular function and the hormonal messages from the brain necessary for testicular health, compelling us to combine and administer other drugs to counteract this effect. This is akin to the strategies used by anabolic steroid users.”

TikTok has been approached for a comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Clown visits may shorten children’s hospital stays

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Medical clowns can help kids through treatment

Phat Camera/Getty Images

Children and teens with pneumonia who receive a visit from a medical clown to help slow their heart rates and promote independence appear to spend less time in hospital.

Visits from medical clowns can help kids role-play or provide distraction during treatment, but until now Reduced stress and anxiety for young people in hospital.

now, Karin Yaakoby Vienu Researchers from the Carmel Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, and their colleagues specifically studied its effects in children hospitalized with pneumonia (lung inflammation).

The researchers randomly selected 26 children and young people aged 2 to 18 with pneumonia to receive 15-minute visits from a health clown twice a day for two days after their arrival at the center, while another 25 children and young people received similar care but without visits from a clown.

The clowns sang and played music with the participants, encouraging them to eat and drink on their own. “At first they were getting fluids and nutrients through tubes,” says Jacoby Vianeu.

The researchers found that patients who received a clown visit stayed at the center for an average of 44 hours, compared with 70 hours for those who didn't. The results were presented at the European Respiratory Society conference in Vienna, Austria.

Doctors, who didn't know which patients had received Clown Care, decided when to discharge them based on improvements in breathing and heart rate and the ability to eat and drink on their own, the latter indicating they could take antibiotic tablets at home rather than being given drugs intravenously, Yaacobi-Vianeu said.

The clowns likely helped the participants recover through play. It can lower blood pressure,say Kelsey Glover “Play can also boost young people's well-being, mood, energy levels and physical confidence and capability,” say researchers from the University of Cambridge.

Graeber said the researchers should repeat the study in larger groups of children and teens with a variety of conditions at other hospitals.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk Visits Auschwitz in Response to Controversy Surrounding Anti-Semitic Message in ‘X’

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Elon Musk, who has faced criticism for endorsing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and allowing anti-Semitic messages on X (formerly Twitter), paid a visit to the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp on Monday.

Musk’s visit to this infamous site of Holocaust atrocities preceded his planned attendance at a conference on anti-Semitism organized by the European Jewish Association in the nearby Polish city of Krakow later that day.

Musk was photographed at the Birkenau location alongside Daily Wire podcaster Ben Shapiro, who was also set to participate in the EJA conference. Birkenau, a village near Oświęcim in southern Poland, is enclosed by barbed wire, and contains wooden barracks and the remains of gas chambers as a testament to the Nazi crimes committed there, as well as a monument to the victims. Annual international ceremonies are held at this site.

“Before attending the European Jewish Association conference, Elon Musk visited Auschwitz-Birkenau with EJA President Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev John, and others. Mr. Musk laid a wreath at the Wall of Death and participated in a brief memorial and service next to the Birkenau Monument,” the EJA said in an email.

Mr. Musk was slated to engage in a discussion on online anti-Semitism with Mr. Shapiro at a conference in Krakow ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.

After acquiring the platform formerly known as Twitter in 2022, Musk has been accused of allowing anti-Semitic messages on the platform and has faced criticism from the Anti-Defamation League and others. His actions sparked protests from the White House and elsewhere in November, when he posted “You told the truth” at X to a user who accused Jews of hating white people and professing indifference to anti-Semitism. He later apologized for the comment, calling it the most “stupid” post he had ever made.

Last year, several major brands, including Disney and IBM, took action after liberal advocacy group Media Matters found that their ads were running alongside pro-Nazi content and white supremacist posts on the platform. Advertising on the platform was suspended, and Company X subsequently sued Media Matters, alleging that the Washington-based nonprofit created the report in an effort to “drive advertisers off the platform and destroy Company X.”

During World War II, over 1.1 million people, including Jews, Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and homosexuals, were murdered at Auschwitz by the Nazis and their collaborators. In total, around 6 million European Jews lost their lives in the Holocaust, with approximately 7,000 survivors found when the Soviets liberated the camp.

Source: www.theguardian.com