The last several years, we’ve all been inundated with the surge of testosterone boosting ads.
You’ve seen them I’m sure.
Several are athletes promoting a pill that promises the fountain of youth, along with those ads that are somewhat cheesy with women glowing that are now being glad their man got the boost so they can get laid again.
Most of this is hype in order to sell my products, however, there are major benefits to maintaining healthy levels of testosterone as you’ll see.
That’s why we’ve created this guide in an effort to help educate on what testosterone is, how it works, and how it can impact the body from the aspects of building muscle, feeling energetic, and increased libido.
What is Testosterone?
To start testosterone is a hormone produced in the body.
The testosterone hormone is primarily made in the male testes, with the female body also producing testosterone though at a very low rate.
Testosterone has many effects on the human body which means testosterone replacement therapy can be utilized to help correct low testosterone symptoms and improve medical conditions associated with low testosterone levels.
As men age, testosterone typically drops and often the need for supplementation.
What are Low Testosterone Symptoms?
Without adequate testosterone production men may experience some common ailments that can include but are not limited to:
- A lack of sex drive or libido,
- difficulty focusing/concentrating,
- loss of muscle mass,
- gain of fat mass (specifically belly fat),
- fatigue,
- irritability,
- erectile dysfunction
- decreased energy levels among others.
As well as can lead to individuals seeing setbacks not just physically but also from a mental standpoint.
There have been a variety of studies that have shown testosterone deficiency can create depression as well as anxiety.
Some have even been able to get off depression medications because of getting back normal levels of testosterone.
Who Does Low Testosterone Effect?
Mostly men since it’s the primary sex hormone, however, women can also have too low or too high testosterone as well.
It should be noted that the female sex hormones (estrogen) can play a role in both men and women.
There should remain a balance in these sex hormones which is why when you go to a hormone therapy specialist, they will conduct a full blood panel to see what needs modifying.
What Does High Testosterone Do?
If you have too much testosterone can often lead to issues as well with the body being oversaturated by testosterone.
This can cause individuals to experience any of the following:
- enlarged prostate,
- acne outbreaks,
- increased aggression
- irritability
- increase in hair
- hair loss
- breast enlargement (if testosterone converts to estrogen)
This is why your medical professional will aid you in keeping a healthy balance.
These days, every commercial seems to want to hint that every guy needs a boost in testosterone when that’s not the case at all.
Balance is the key.
Too high of any of these sex hormones can throw everything into a tailspin.
Is This the Recipe for Building Muscle?
Testosterone will help you build muscle and just like we mentioned earlier, the commercials are flooded with great-looking men and beautiful women with muscles bulging and abs.
However, just because you may have a deficiency in test levels and you decide to do something about it with supplementation or HRT, doesn’t mean that you’re going to look like a roid monster that’s humping everything in sight and throwing weight around in the gym like never before.
It will help you to increase your lean muscle mass however most people are not gym rats that are using testosterone.
Most of the meat heads you think of in the gym are abusing illegal steroids.
How is Testosterone Measured?
There are several ways testosterone levels are measured like through blood draws or saliva samples that test your testosterone level at that moment of time.
The most reliable method is through a blood draw.
What Treatments Can be Used to Increase Low Testosterone Levels to a Normal Range?
Often men will look to the supplement lines at GNC or other supplement store for an over-the-counter testosterone supplement without even testing their levels first.
That’s why we recommend getting the blood work done in the first place.
If after testing testosterone levels and there is confirmation of low testosterone levels, testosterone therapy may be a treatment option.
There are testosterone replacement methods that can help testosterone levels return to normal ranges for men.
The most common types of testosterone therapy include:
- testosterone injections,
- testosterone patches,
- testosterone gel,
- testosterone pellets and
- testosterone gummies.
Injections work within 15 minutes after administration and last from 2-4 weeks depending on how frequently one is administered.
Patches require the patch to be applied once daily with similar results as injections where you will see your testosterone levels rise about 20-30% over the course of a few weeks to a month.
Testosterone pellets are implanted under the skin which provides a steady release of testosterone into the body over a period of three months or up to a year depending on the testosterone pellet itself.
Testosterone gummies allow testosterone levels to be to be absorbed through your saliva glands and then into your blood stream. This oral testosterone delivery allows testosterone levels to rise which provides similar results as injections or patches only it is slower than injections and faster than testosterone gummies.
It’s important that you follow your testosterone therapy schedule perfectly in order for the treatment to work to its fullest potential so you can notice all low testosterone symptoms dissipate.
If you don’t see a noticeable improvement after 2-3 weeks, be sure to let your doctor know as your dosage may need to be adjusted.
Which is a Better Treatment Option?
Each of the options have their own pro’s and cons, however the injections are what we’ve found to be the most consistent.
It’s the fastest way to enter the blood stream and once you have your frequency dialed in, there are less peaks and valleys.
The goal here is consistency without seeing a major drop with testosterone.
Benefits Of Testosterone Therapy
Although testosterone replacement therapy can help correct common ailments men experience when testosterone levels are low there are also several benefits that include but are not limited to:
- increased bone density which helps prevent osteoporosis and fractures;
- improved sense of well-being and increased mood;
- less stress and anxiety;
- increased testosterone which helps with lean muscle growth and loss of body fat;
- better sex drive and improved sexual energy.
- overall improve sexual function
Another testosterone benefit is enhanced cognitive function.
This means you will be more focused on your daily tasks and projects and it can sharpen those skills that require attention to detail like those who work in trades or those who love puzzles.
Other testosterone treatments
In some cases, HRT clinics will not immediately place you on the treatments we discussed.
Instead, they will focus on building up the natural production from the testes.
Clomid as well as HCG are popular prescriptions to get started with hormone replacement therapy to see if the user can produce testosterone before going to a more permanent solution.
Is Testosterone Therapy for life?
While some have been able to bounce back their testosterone levels after taking steroids or supplementing with testosterone, most will need some level of hormone replacement therapy for the rest of their life.
The reason is that once you have an external source for the production, the body stops making it naturally.
That means in most cases if you take testosterone replacement therapy, you’ll need to count on continuing for the rest of your life.
You will need to make that decision once you talk it over with your doctor.
In my personal experience, I knew my body wasn’t making it anyway, so it became an easy choice.
This was after I’d tested multiple supplements, test boosters, ate the proper foods, and had medically reviewed my levels of testosterone from getting multiple blood draws.
In other words, I went every route to get my normal testosterone levels before going to the more permanent testosterone therapy.
It was a big decision that a lot of thought when into.
That was 4 years ago and I wouldn’t change a thing.
My doctor has had to review, analyze, and make medications to my protocol but after we’ve got everything dialed in to my normal levels I’m back to being at my normal self again.
If you’re not feeling well or aren’t enjoying a healthy level of testosterone then it’s time to be evaluated for low testosterone levels.
The sooner you know, the better off you will be.
Testosterone replacement therapy should only be done after all other options have been exhausted such as eating foods high in testosterone production, cleaning up your diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep.
Conclusion
In conclusion, testosterone replacement therapy is something that has been helped those with low testosterone levels for years.
However, testosterone therapies need to be administered properly under a watchful eye of a professional physician.
Make sure you don’t skip testosterone injections or testosterone patches as these are the most effective ways to keep your testosterone at a normal, healthy level.
At the end of the day, this should be all about remaining well balanced and living a healthy life.
If you decide the treatment is for you, be sure to talk openly and honestly about how your feeling with your medical professional.
In the meantime, check out the full testosterone booster’s guide we recently updated here.