What Is a Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

A testosterone replacement therapy is becoming more and more popular among men, as it can help them effectively increase their testosterone levels and live healthy and fulfilled lives once more. It isn’t only popular among older men, as men in their 30s (and even younger than that) often experience low testosterone or low T.

Although testosterone naturally decreases with age, there are many other factors that may contribute to its decrease, such as certain lifestyle choices and underlying medical conditions, as well as certain genetic diseases. Whichever the cause of your low T, a testosterone replacement therapy can help you treat it effectively.

What Does a Testosterone Replacement Therapy Include?

There are several different delivery methods of testosterone therapy. They include:

• testosterone injections
• skin patches
• gels
• surgically implanted pellets.

Testosterone injections are the most effective way of administering testosterone replacement therapy. If your doctor advises you to take the injections, you’ll need to take them weekly, together with certain medications that will stimulate the production of testosterone.

You’ll also need to take an aromatase inhibitor, usually in the form of pills, which will prevent your testosterone from converting into estrogen.

Skin patches and gels are applied directly onto the skin, while pellets are implanted surgically, all of which release testosterone and help boost its levels but not as effectively as testosterone injections.

Are There Any Risks of Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

There are potential side effects that may occur during your testosterone replacement therapy. They include:

• acne
• water retention
• increased urination
• increased cholesterol
• increased red blood cells
• reduced testicle size
• breast enlargement
• liver problems
• heart problems
• worsening of a pre-existing enlarged prostate
• worsening of pre-existing sleep apnea
• infertility
• blood clots.

Have in mind that these side effects are extremely rare and may happen only in circumstances when a medical practitioner didn’t conduct all the necessary tests prior to determining the right type of treatment.

That’s why it is absolutely vital to schedule an appointment with a doctor who’s an expert for treating low testosterone and who can provide you with the best kind of testosterone therapy for you.

If you happen to notice the signs of low T and your blood test shows that you do have it, a testosterone replacement therapy is your best way to go. There are also many natural ways for increasing the production of this essential hormone, so be sure to explore them to make your therapy even more effective.