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Ask HN: Why is testosterone a scheduled substance in the USA?

1 points by pixel_tracing ↗ HN
It seems like in 1990 the USA banned testosterone across the nation, but estrogen can easily be picked up over the counter?

Why the double standards here? If I’m a non competing athlete that wants balanced hormones and a healthy sex drive I should be able to do this right?

Not to mention many people who identify as trans find it difficult to get testosterone too.

What do we need to do to appeal this?

7 comments

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Sunspark
It's frustrating. The thing about lab testing results in general, is that they aren't really the "optimal" value but rather a range in a population from like age 18 to age 85+. Much like how vitamin RDAs are really the bare minimum needed to avoid scurvy and the like.

So if you are having symptoms of needing supplementation, the doctor will just shrug and say you're still in the normal range.

pixel_tracing
This has been my exact experience, I went and got results and I was told my levels are normal (somewhere in the range of low 350s and 400).

This is not normal, I have ED issues and depression and I think it is directly correlated to my hormone levels. The ridiculous thing is that no doctor wants to consider testosterone treatment due to the stigma and would rather do second hand approaches like anti depressants or something else.

It’s infuriating

Sunspark
I understand another symptom is pubic hair loss. What am I to think when it's not coming off my head or anywhere else? Maybe it was always weakly rooted and I just never noticed? I notice the hair coming off in the shower every time but only from there.

At some point I will probably experiment with self-medication but I suppose I should try talking to a urologist first.. endocrinologist said no already.

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WheelsAtLarge
I'm wondering if it has to do with the abuse by athelets both amature and profesional. I remember a time when it was easily bought in high school to increase your muscle mass. The problem is that it's very dangerous and can lead to death when abused. There was also the issue of roid rage that leads to people getting out of control. There were a few nationwide reports of men killing their families and themselves because they lost the ability to control themselves.