Long-term Use Of Opioids Lowers Testosterone Levels

A recent study by Rubinstein et al. published in The Clinical Journal of Pain has shown that long-term use of opioid painkillers by men is associated with lower levels of testosterone. This effect is much more prevalent when using long-acting opioids. Low testosterone or hypogonadism, as it’s also known, has been linked with decreases in muscle mass, bone density, cognition, mood, sex drive and general quality of life.