Up to 12.8% of middle-aged men in Europe have a testosterone deficiency and researchers are testing whether the nasal gel will treat men with this deficiency. The theory is that this testosterone-boosting nasal gel will enable the hormone to given via the nose, and will be active in less than an hour.

From the age of 30 to 40 levels of the hormone fall steadily in men at a rate of less than 2 per cent a year. This doesn’t tend to cause problems early on, but a testosterone deficiency that develops later in life (late-onset hypogonadism) can sometimes lead to issues such as low libido, impotence, mood swings and irritability, loss of muscle mass and reduced ability to exercise, insomnia, weak bones and man boobs (gynaecomastia).

The new testosterone-boosting nasal gel, is thought to be more convenient than current skin creams used as testosterone replacement treatments, which can transfer on to anything patients touch (including female partners, where it can lead to an increase in body hair and acne).

Commenting on the study, Professor Raj Persad, a consultant urologist with Bristol Urology Associates and South West Andrology, says:

‘Nasal absorption works well, and is less likely to contaminate partners.

‘Not only is it suitable for the ageing male with low levels of testosterone, but also for a large proportion of younger men who have had damage to the testes following cancer and chemotherapy.’

Read the full article on the Daily Mail.