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Risks of Testosterone Treatment

People get testosterone treatments or therapy for a number of reasons, including low sex drive, chronic illness and cancer, alcoholism or even for inflammation in the lungs. Testosterone treatments are usually administered through injections, body patches and gels, according to Clevelandclinic.org:Testosterone Replacement Therapy. However, certain risks are associated with testosterone treatments.

  1. Significance

    • Testosterone treatments can worsen symptoms of prostate cancer. That is why it is important for men to get a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test before starting any testosterone treatments.

    Types of Risks

    • Men who use testosterone treatments may risk increasing their hemoglobin or red blood cells above a safe threshold. This condition, called polycythaemia, can increase the thickness of the blood and reduce blood flow.

    Other Types of Risks

    • Testosterone treatments can exacerbate the symptoms of sleep apnea, which can interrupt a person's breathing patterns at night.

    Effects

    • Older men sometimes run the risk of getting enlarged or tender breasts when they use testosterone therapy.

    Warning

    • A person should never undergo testosterone treatments without first checking with his doctor. Testosterone therapy can change the composition of blood cholesterol for people with high cholesterol levels and can even affect a man's sperm count and fertility.

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