THE ADONIS INJECTION

Testosterone is said to help regular men feel superhuman. What's the catch?

- KATIE BEROHN

If Patrick Bateman from American Psycho took a time machine to 2026, he might trade his designer power suits for normcore quarter-zips. He'd upgrade his ice-packed eye mask for a cold plunge (and his sheet mask would almost certainly be Korean). He'd be trying to get into the Eighty Six, and he'd still be wearing a top-of-the-line luxury watch. Oh, and like any number of finance bros and influential men, he'd likely be on testosterone replacement therapy.

If you listen to the rumor mill, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) seems like the medical equivalent of Peter Parker's radioactive spider bite, making every man it touches a better version of himself—stronger, smarter, sharper, and leaner. One public relations professional who represents doctors told me in confidence that she's begging her husband to try it: “I think he would have a better quality of life and would be a better husband and dad if he did TRT.” Joe Rogan has sung its praises, saying that “it makes you feel way better, and it makes your body work way better.” Rogan also implied on his podcast that it's the secret sauce behind certain tech bros' recently toned physiques. The busy subreddit r/Testosterone has up to 130,000 weekly visitors; one user posted, “I feel alive again,” while another added that it made him feel “more secure with myself and my masculinity.” Fans say TRT makes them feel like they've been transformed into Buzz Lightyear or a Greek god. “I felt like I was back in college again, in terms of energy and enthusiasm,” says David Shafer, MD, a plastic surgeon who offers TRT under a comprehensive health plan at Advitam, the longevity clinic he cofounded in New York, and who also takes it himself.