Hormonal Optimization vs. Therapy: Analysis and Risks

The article analyzes the phenomenon of the shifting boundary between medical replacement therapy and pharmacological bodily optimization, based on the publication by Deborah Cohen. The author draws attention to the danger of reductionism, where complex health symptoms are reduced to a single biomarker (e.g., testosterone level), which fuels the direct-to-consumer services market and influencer culture. The text emphasizes that endocrinology is a science of dynamic regulatory systems, not just numbers. The key conclusion is the necessity of combining laboratory test results with real clinical symptoms and measurement repeatability, in accordance with Endocrine Society and AUA guidelines, to avoid misdiagnosis of hypogonadism and unjustified hormone supplementation.