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What Are the Risks of Testosterone Therapy?

Testosterone therapy, also called testosterone replacement therapy, is used to treat men with abnormally low levels of testosterone caused by injury, chronic illnesses, hormone imbalances and genetic conditions. The treatment does have risks and is not advised for some patients.

  1. Safety

    • For the majority of patients testosterone therapy is perfectly safe. The side effects tend to be rare and typically mild.

    Possible Risks

    • The potential risks of testosterone therapy include skin irritation and acne, fluid retention, testicular shrinkage, sleep apnea, excess red blood cell growth and enlarged prostate. It is possible that testosterone therapy can accelerate prostate or breast cancer growth.

    Patient Exclusion

    • Due to the possibility that testosterone therapy could enhance cancer growth, men with a history or early stages of either prostate or breast cancer are strongly discouraged from receiving testosterone therapy.

    Risk to Others

    • While rare, it is possible for those using treatment gels to transfer the hormone to others that come into contact with the treatment area. The testosterone can adversely affect their hormone balance.

    Healthy Testosterone Levels

    • The Mayo Clinic reports that very little clinical research has been conducted regarding the effects of testosterone treatments on those with a normal testosterone level and that the results are not clear.

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