The male hormone¹ testosterone has become an unlikely drug of choice for Wall Street traders seeking to give themselves an edge over their professional rivals.

男性荷尔蒙睾丸素竟成了华尔街交易者为赶超职场竞争对手而选用的药物。

New York clinics have reported a rise in treatment for 'testosterone（睾丸素） deficiency', sometimes known as 'andropause（男人更年期） '.

They say many workers in the male-dominated industry are hoping that boosters of the hormone will help them perform better at work and put in longer hours.

Upper West Side osteopath（整骨疗法家） Lionel Bissoon, who now specialises in 'integrative medicine', says he first noticed demand for testosterone replacement² therapy when the financial crisis hit.

He told the Financial Times: 'Since the recession started, more guys want to be on top of their game.'

Ninety percent of his patients, he revealed, hold senior positions in the finance industry and are typically in their thirties or forties.

'All of these men are under tons of stress, and stress will reduce their levels of testosterone,' he said.

'As one patient told me: "There's a whole bunch of whizz-kids beneath me who are ready to take my place."'

One patient, a 40-year-old venture capitalist who goes only by the name John, told the paper that his lack of drive and lethargy was initially³ diagnosed as depression. A consultation⁴ with Dr Bissoon, however, revealed that his problem was actually a testosterone deficiency.

John says: 'Wall Street is a play hard, work hard environment. I now have a bit more of an alpha male personality, and I'm able to get by on less sleep.

'It's the positive side of aggression⁵. You change your mentality⁶ and start looking positively⁷ at the future.'

Dr Bissoon added: 'If you're going to be trading on Wall Street or dealing⁸ with large sums of money, you had better be confident. The man who is wishy-washy is not going to be successful.'