Can Testosterone Help Prevent Muscle Loss After Surgery?
In this brief presentation Dr. Jeffrey Gladden outlines a research program aimed at preventing the rapid muscle atrophy that follows major surgery. He explains that within eight hours of an operation, a massive cortisol surge binds to muscle receptors and initiates catabolism. The hypothesis is that pre‑loading patients with a single long‑acting dose of testosterone before surgery will occupy those receptors, thereby blocking the cortisol‑driven atrophy signal. A first‑in‑human safety trial demonstrated that this pre‑operative testosterone administration is well‑tolerated. Building on that result, the team is seeking funding for a definitive 80‑patient randomized clinical trial to test efficacy in preserving muscle mass post‑operatively. Dr. Gladden situates this work within a larger, under‑explored field concerning the loss of hormones and bioactive peptides with aging and injury, suggesting that restoring such signals could become a therapeutic strategy for a range of conditions.
