TRT and Heart Health: What the TRAVERSE Study Actually Says

If you Google "Testosterone Therapy," you will eventually hit a scary headline.

Something like: "Testosterone Linked to Heart Attacks" or "FDA Warnings on Androgens."

I deal with this fear every single day at Magnolia Functional Wellness. A guy comes in, he’s suffering from every symptom of Low T—fatigue, depression, weight gain—but he’s terrified to start treatment because he thinks it’s going to stop his heart.

And I don't blame him. For about a decade, the medical community was operating on bad data. We were scared too.

But in 2023, everything changed. A massive, groundbreaking study called the TRAVERSE Study was published, and it finally set the record straight.

If you are worried about your ticker, you need to read this. Because the science actually suggests that not treating your Low T might be the dangerous choice.

Where the Fear Came From

To understand the truth, we have to look at the lie.Years ago, a couple of retrospective studies suggested a link between TRT and cardiovascular events.

But when you dig into those studies (which I have), you find major flaws.Many of them were looking at veterans who were already sick, elderly, and frail. They weren't controlling for other variables. But the headlines ran with it, and the FDA slapped a warning label on testosterone products.

That warning label scared off thousands of men and doctors.

Enter the TRAVERSE Study

The medical community knew we needed a real answer. We needed a "Gold Standard" trial—randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled.

That is the TRAVERSE Study.It followed over 5,200 men ages 45 to 80. These weren't just healthy 25-year-olds; these were men with pre-existing heart risk factors.

Half got Testosterone. Half got a placebo. They followed them for years.

The Result:There was zero difference in major adverse cardiac events between the two groups.Men on Testosterone did not have more heart attacks. They did not have more strokes. They did not die more often.

The study definitively proved that when managed correctly, TRT is cardiovascularly safe.

The Real Risk: Why Low T is Dangerous

Here is the plot twist that most primary care doctors miss.While we were all worried about TRT causing heart attacks, we ignored the fact that Low Testosterone is an independent risk factor for heart disease.

Think about what happens when your T is low:

1. Visceral Fat Increases: You gain belly fat. Belly fat is inflammatory. It stresses the heart.
2. Insulin Resistance: Low T makes it harder to control blood sugar, leading to diabetes. Diabetes destroys blood vessels.
3. Lack of Exercise: When you have no energy, you sit on the couch. A sedentary lifestyle is the number one killer of heart health.

By optimizing your testosterone, we often see these risk factors improve.I see patients in Southlake lose the belly fat. I see their blood sugar stabilize. I see them get back in the gym and do cardio for the first time in years.

That is cardio-protection.

How We Keep You Safe at Magnolia

Even though the TRAVERSE study gives us the green light, we don't take risks at Magnolia Functional Wellness. We are obsessed with safety.

When you are on TRT with us, we monitor a few specific things to ensure your heart stays happy:

• Hematocrit: Testosterone stimulates red blood cell production. If your blood gets too thick, it’s harder for the heart to pump. We check this regularly. If it gets high, we just have you donate blood. Problem solved.
• Blood Pressure: We keep an eye on it.
• Estrogen: As I’ve mentioned before, we balance your estrogen to protect your blood vessels.

The Bottom Line

You don't have to choose between feeling alive and staying alive.

The data is in. The fear-mongering is outdated.If you have a healthy heart, TRT won't hurt it. And if you have metabolic issues caused by Low T, fixing your hormones might actually be the best thing you can do for your longevity.

Don't let a headline from 2014 keep you miserable in 2026.