Testosterone 'Muscle Memory' may help aging men stay stronger longer

NCT ID NCT05964920

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study looked at whether giving older men testosterone for a few weeks, with or without resistance exercise, could create a lasting 'muscle memory' that makes it easier to regain muscle later. Forty-five sedentary men aged 55-70 received either testosterone or placebo injections, some also did supervised weight training. After a break, all men retrained to see if prior testosterone exposure boosted their results. The goal is to understand if a short hormone boost can have long-term benefits for muscle health in aging.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Testosterone undecanoate (Nebido) injections
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a way to help older men maintain muscle strength and function more easily after a short course of testosterone.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study (45 men) focused on understanding mechanisms, not proving a treatment. Results may not apply to women or younger people, and testosterone carries risks like hormonal side effects.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Norwegian School of Sport Sciences

    Oslo, Oslo, 0863, Norway

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