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Testosterone for Hypogonadism

The lack of testosterone causes hypogonadism in boys and men. Girls and women can also suffer from hypogonadism---a lack of sex hormones---but their conditions result, of course, from low estrogen. Providing supplemental testosterone can help boys and men overcome hypogonadism regardless of the cause of the condition. Patients have many options for receiving supplemental testosterone, and most of the options produce few serious side effects.

  1. Who Suffers From Male Hypogonadism?

    • Normal testosterone levels in the blood of boys and men range from 300 ng/dL to 1,000 ng/dL. A person's testosterone level can fall below the lower end of this at any age for a large number of reasons, and when testosterone levels remain very low, the boy or man suffers hypogonadism. A partial list of the causes male hypogonadism includes infections, blood loss, liver disease, kidney disease, radiation therapy, brain tumors, a congenital excess of iron in the blood and genetic disorders.

    Effects of Male Hypogonadism

    • Boys suffering from hypogonadism will enter puberty late, if at all. Men with the condition will lack or lose muscle mass, have trouble growing facial hair, have low energy, lose focus easily and may have a reduced sex drive or even be impotent.

    Testosterone Options

    • A brochure on the Mayo Clinic website notes that boys and men who require testosterone supplements can choose from injections, patches, gels, mouth strips placed between the gum and cheek and capsules. Only the capsule formulation has serious risks; using it can lead to liver damage, high cholesterol and new or worsened heart disease. Injections and patches can produce mild skin irritation, especially if users do not rotate administration sites.

    Typical Testosterone Side Effects

    • People using testosterone supplements can experience acne, bloating, shrinking testicles and decreased sperm count, oily skin, worsened sleep apnea, and increased red blood cell counts. The occurrence of side effects from testosterone supplementation increases as the dosage and frequency of use increases.

    Testosterone Warnings

    • Testosterone supplementation can worsen male breast cancer and prostate cancer. Increasing the body's testosterone content can also speed up the enlargement of the prostate in men suffering from benign protstatic hyperplasia, or BPH. Last, people who use a testosterone gel need to wash their hands thoroughly after each application so they do not transfer the hormone to other people they touch.

    Prognosis for Treatment

    • A Medline Plus factsheet states simply, "Many forms of hypogonadism are potentially treatable and have a good prognosis."

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