Testosterone Level for Depression

Research indicates that some males suffering from severe depression also tend to experience low levels of testosterone. Hormone therapy may be beneficial, especially in those finding little relief from other anti-depressant treatment.

History

• Physicians regularly prescribed testosterone to males in the middle of the 20th Century to combat depression, but the practice was slowly abandoned as anti-depressant medication grew in acceptance.

Significance

• In 2002, Harvard Medical School's Maclean Hospital studied the results of testosterone supplementation to depressed males. "The results clearly justify larger studies to explore the benefits and possible risks of testosterone replacement therapy for men with low levels of the hormone who find antidepressants ineffective," said Harvard professor of psychiatry Harrison Pope.

Older Males

• According to a 2008 article published in "Science Daily," researchers at the University of Western Australia in Perth discovered hope for older men. "Testosterone supplementation may contribute to the successful treatment of hypogonadal [with low hormone levels] older men with depression," said the report.

Healthy Levels

• The U.S. National Library of Medicine indicates healthy levels of testosterone in males should range from 300 to 1,000 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter). Physicians consider any number below 300 to be cause for concern.

Types

• Synthetic varieties of this male hormone are easily accessible and convenient. "Testosterone therapy medications are available as injections, patches and gels," says The Mayo Clinic.