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

New York clinics have reported a rise in treatment for 'testosterone deficiency', sometimes known as 'andropause'.

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 Lionel Bissoon, who now specialises in 'integrative medicine', says he first noticed demand for testosterone replacement 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 initially diagnosed as depression. A consultation 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 aggression. You change your mentality and start looking positively at the future.'

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

(Read by Emily Cheng. Emily Cheng is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)