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Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age

Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age

Testosterone patches work similarly to gels but are more controlled. A patch is applied to your skin, usually on your back, abdomen, or thighs, and it releases testosterone slowly over 24 hours. Like gels, patches provide a steady level of testosterone in your bloodstream. Testosterone injections are one of the most common forms of TRT. In this form, testosterone is injected directly into the muscle, usually in the buttocks or thigh.

Testosterone levels can decline for various reasons, including stress, aging, trauma, and infections. TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY is safe and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for men with a testosterone deficiency, Dr. Patel. “You really have to be careful to wash your hands well and not expose others,” Dr. Smith says. Contact with excess testosterone can affect children’s genitalia and cause premature pubic hair development and aggressive behavior. Skin changes are mainly seen with treatments like injections, when you’re getting a higher dose all at once. “And when we treat them, a lot of men will say that their energy has improved,” says Dr. Morgentaler.

It’s also one that doesn’t really have a set finish line—and that’s all right. Natalie Kunsman, M.D., an integrated health advisor and physician at Broad Health, Hone Health’s partnered medical practice. She specializes in family medicine as well as anti-aging and regenerative medicine in Colorado Springs, CO. Joshua Calvert, M.D., is a board-certified urologist specializing in male infertility and low testosterone management. These may be advantageous in men who prefer not to take testosterone directly or those in whom taking testosterone directly is not advised (e.g. , men attempting to preserve fertility). These medications may also be used in combination with the above testosterone formulations.

The usual starting dose is 1 tube daily (about the size of 2 quarters) applied to the shoulders and upper arms. In a cohort of cancer patients, who are at higher baseline risk for blood clots, testosterone therapy did not increase the risk of thrombotic events. Yes, factors such as weight, exercise habits, diet, and stress levels can influence how your body absorbs and responds to TRT. Yes, different forms of testosterone such as injections, gels, patches, and pellets have varying dosages. Injections usually require higher doses at less frequent intervals, while gels and patches provide lower daily doses.

Further, pellets can extrude, and as with any procedure there is inconvenience and small risk of infection. Oral testosterone has been around since the 1980s but was not popular because it can cause problems for the liver. A health care provider inserts these pellets under your skin (usually in the buttocks area) every 3 to 6 months. They do this by making a small cut in your skin and using a special tool to implant 10 pellets of testosterone. Your body slowly absorbs the testosterone into the bloodstream. A woman usually gets a testosterone deca test cycle dosage (celiacosmurcia.org) when the doctor suspects she has an abnormally high testosterone level (as opposed to a low level).

TRT is not recommended for adolescents, as the effects of long-term therapy on growth and development are not well-established [38]. Testosterone levels are monitored through regular blood tests. These are typically done 6 to 8 weeks after starting TRT or changing dosages to ensure the levels are within the desired range. People who sleep less than seven hours per night often have lower testosterone levels. If you are not sleeping well, your doctor may need to adjust your TRT dosage to help improve your symptoms. However, improving your sleep habits can also help your body use testosterone more effectively. Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night to support your TRT treatment.

People can expect to have these blood tests at the start of the treatment, then three to six months later. Doctors will then repeat these tests annually if the results prove to be stable. Although TRT offers benefits to people with low testosterone levels, it can cause many short-term side effects. However, doctors do not usually recommend TRT as the first course of action for low testosterone levels, even for males who show such symptoms.

For example, if a man’s testosterone levels are below 300 ng/dL, the doctor might start with a moderate dose, such as 100 mg of testosterone injections per week. If the levels are closer to 500 ng/dL, the starting dose may be lower, around 50 mg per week. The doctor attributed it to fifteen years of an insane sleep schedule from my old job. The lack of sleep had essentially shut my body’s natural testosterone production down. He referred me to a urologist, who put me on a low dose of bi-weekly testosterone injections right away.

There are a variety of reasons why testosterone replacement therapy might be implemented on a patient. Karen Herbst, MD, PhD, an endocrinologist, specializes in testosterone deficiency. It measures both testosterone attached to proteins in your blood and testosterone not attached to proteins (called free testosterone). Most testosterone is attached to proteins; the proteins control the amount of active testosterone in your body and prevent your tissues from using the hormone right away.

Inactive individuals may not need as much testosterone because their body does not require it to support intense physical activity. Physical activity plays a key role in your overall health, and it also affects how your body uses testosterone. Regular exercise can improve your body’s ability to absorb testosterone and put it to good use. People who exercise regularly may experience better results from TRT than those who live a more sedentary lifestyle. Just like age, weight is another key factor in determining the right TRT dosage. Body weight, especially the amount of body fat, affects how testosterone is distributed and absorbed in the body. This means that overweight men might need more testosterone to achieve the same results as men who are leaner.