Role of Testosterone Replacement for Osteoporosis

Testosterone replacement therapy is a technique that uses external testosterone sources to address clinical hormone deficiency. In some cases, testosterone deficiency in men can trigger symptoms of the brittle bone disease called osteoporosis.

Diagnosis

• Doctors often do not diagnose osteoporosis in men until obvious back pain or a bone fracture occurs, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. After diagnosis, they must identify the underlying cause of the ailment.

Testosterone Deficiency

• Accurate diagnosis of testosterone deficiency requires blood testing to measure testosterone levels, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Testosterone Replacement

• If a diagnosis of testosterone deficiency is made in men with osteoporosis, testosterone replacement therapy may provide effective treatment, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. The treatment achieves its effects by reinforcing testosterone's ability to protect bone health.

Replacement Methods

• The Cleveland Clinic cites methods of testosterone replacement that include patches worn on the body or scrotum, intramuscular injections and gels applied to the abdomen, shoulders or upper arms.

Considerations

• Osteoporosis in men can result from a number of causes unrelated to testosterone deficiency, notes the NIAMS. Potential causes include age-related bone changes, smoking, excessive alcohol use, use of glucocorticoid or anticonvulsant medications, immobilization, gastrointestinal disease and excessive urinary calcium excretion (hypercalciuria).