Supplements to Take When Using Testosterone

As men age, their bodies' natural production of testosterone declines. This decrease can lead to a lowered libido, erectile dysfunction, the inability to concentrate or remember, and a decrease in bone density and skeletal muscle mass combined with an increase in fat storage. To combat these conditions, doctors can prescribe testosterone as part of a regimen called androgen therapy or hormone replacement therapy. This treatment can reverse many of the symptoms of low testosterone and provide a greater quality of life for men as they grow older.

Calcium

• Androgen therapy produces a marked increase in bone density in elderly men. Since calcium makes up the primary component of bone, men taking testosterone supplementation should ingest more calcium. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) recommends that men over 50 should take in at least 1200 mg of calcium daily to prevent osteoporosis.

Vitamin D

• The NIAMS also reports that the body cannot properly absorb calcium without sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. In the article "Testosterone Therapy," the Parkhurst Exchange recommends that men on androgen therapy take 800 IU (International Units) of Vitamin D.

Saw Palmetto

• According to the website of the University of Maryland Medical Center, testosterone replacement therapy can aggravate prostate cancer in men suffering from that condition. Additionally, testosterone replacement might increase the risk for men to develop prostate cancer. Because of these enhanced risks, the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that men taking testosterone can take the herb saw palmetto, which reduces prostate swelling. The pharmaceutical information website drugs.com also reports that saw palmetto has improved urinary flow while decreasing the need for urination in men suffering from an enlarged prostate. University of Maryland Medical Center suggests a twice-daily dosing of 160mg. Life Extension Magazine's article "All About Supplements" reports that a natural process in the body converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (more commonly called DHT), and the excess production of DHT can lead to male pattern baldness. Saw palmetto can block this conversion, and thereby slow the progression of hair loss in men taking testosterone.

Zinc

• Life Extension Magazine reports that the body also converts testosterone to estradiol. This conversion can lead to gynecomastia, which is the development of male breast tissue, a condition that only surgery can correct. According to Life Extension Magazine, zinc can block the process that converts testosterone to estradiol, and suggests that men on androgen therapy supplement their diets with daily doses of zinc.