Testosterone Therapy That Works

Low testosterone in older men causes a great many symptoms, such as loss of muscle mass, decreased sexual function, fatigue, mood changes, depression and impaired cognition. For these men affected by low serum testosterone levels, hormone replacement therapy may seem like the best approach to relieve the symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, there is more research needed on this treatment to determine if it does help patients.

Physician Guidance

• The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine is currently beginning a study to determine if older men can be helped with the use of hormone replacement treatment. Previous studies on testosterone replacement left more questions than answers regarding the controversial treatment.
  The news is not exactly clear on whether testosterone therapy is beneficial for older patients experiencing normal drops in hormone levels, but doctors do prescribe it for conditions such as hypogonadism. Those with normal levels

  Never use testosterone therapy without the guidance of your doctor. The Harvard Health Letter urges patients to use testosterone replacement when the body is not producing enough of the hormone on its own.

Using Testosterone

• Once you have a diagnosis from the doctor of low testosterone levels, the next step is finding the right delivery method for hormone replacement. The delivery method that you choose depends on your preference. Testosterone is available by injection, patch, gel, and oral medication. Injection delivers testosterone in a safe and effective manner. Gels may cause unwanted transfer to other people unless you wash the testosterone off your hands after each application. Patches may be effective, but some patients experience skin irritation. Oral testosterone may cause liver problems and higher cholesterol levels. Discuss these side effects with your doctor and choose the method that works best for your needs.

  You can learn to inject your own testosterone and eliminate the need to visit the doctor's office for your treatment.Treatments take place two weeks apart and some patients notice a return of their symptoms between the treatments.

  Discuss your options with the doctor to find the best delivery method for testosterone replacement therapy.

Warning

• There has not been significant study on the effect of testosterone replacement on men with normal testosterone levels. The symptoms of low testosterone do not always point to hormone replacement therapy as the solution.