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Men across the world are being mislead by shady medical officials and misleading marketing teams that promise to reinvigorate their masculinity with the "powerful help" of testosterone replacement therapy. Testosterone replacement therapies that purport to solve hypogonadism, or a condition where testicles can't produce enough testosterone on their own, are often times dangerous and produce long-lasting harm in the patients that receive them.

Why are testosterone replacement therapy services still popular despite the hidden dangers of this treatment, and how much of a risk are you really at when you receive it? Here are the hidden dangers of testosterone replacement therapy and why it's becoming increasingly studied with skepticism.

Testosterone replacement therapy is widespread

The extent to which testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT, has become widespread in this day and age is truly mind-boggling. According to one study, TRT has already managed to become one of the most widely prescribed medications in America today, with many older men in particular relying on it as a remedy for a number of health problems. Some medical experts are beginning to sound warning alarms about TRT, though, and insist that there are many hidden dangers to the therapy that most people are unaware of.

Companies like AbbVie churn out products like AngroGel, which supposedly act as a wondrous salve that help restore your masculinity by replenishing your diminished testosterone levels. For the most part, the marketing efforts for TRT are centered around libido and sexuality; men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction are routinely the main target of TRT marketing initiatives. This is because companies understand that they've created a powerful medical product that mostly speaks to cultural fears more than it does actual biological realities.

One extensive study of the effects of TRT products found that they overpromised and underdelivered, which should come as little surprise given the gaudy marketing that usually surrounds such drugs. The misleading potential of TRT has led many helpless patients to spend huge sums of money on therapy treatments that produce lackluster results or nothing notable at all. More than being a scam, however, TRT therapies can be hidden dangers that pose serious risk to the health of those using them.

The health impact of TRT

Marketing efforts for TRT services largely focus on the promise of restoring youthful vitality, alertness, and sexual functionality. In reality, though, the health impact of TRT services can be disastrous for those receiving them.  For instance, a study recently showed that TRT increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death by 30 percent. The ongoing "low-T boom" is largely a result of direct-to-consumer marketing. Most patients don't actually have insufficient levels of hormones, but they're impacted by targeted advertising that warns them to "talk to a doctor" if they're feeling tired, as it could be a sign of low testosterone. As Dr. Michael O'Leary of the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital told Harvard Health Publishing, TRT services are pushed ceaselessly on aging men in an effort to get them to feel vulnerable about their low testosterone levels.

The long-term health effects of TRT are still largely unknown. For instance, those who rely on hormone supplements temporarily may not know if they may end up needing such supplements permanently because of a temporary dependence. The so-called "testosterone trap" can lure many aging patients in only to force them to remain on a strict drug regimen for the rest of their lives. This is far from what most people understand TRT services to be, yet it's a serious risk that anyone embracing such services is exposed to every time they receive treatment.

Furthermore, there's strong evidence that men involved in TRT services see an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, which remain a leading cause of death in the developed world. Following a recent spate of studies and attention being paid to TRT services over the past few years, doctors have been prescribing TRT less as older men find themselves bailing from the practice. This is good news, as the negative impacts of TRT were largely unknown to many who found themselves relying on such therapy over the years.

Besides increasing your risk for cardiovascular disease and potentially making you dependent on a drug regime, the other long-term effects of testosterone replacement therapy are largely unknown. The hidden dangers of testosterone replacement therapy lurk under the surface regardless of whether you know of them or not, however, so it's imperative to do your homework before embarking on a risky medical procedure.