Topping up on man juice: Testosterone replacement therapy

Testosterone is the male hormone that fuels all those manly things like deep voices, sperm production, body hair and possibly a love of power tools. If a man isn’t producing enough ‘man juice’, then he can lose his manly characteristics. This is known as ‘hypogonadism’. It might be scary but it’s treatable.

Hypo-what-now!?

Hypogonadism results from a lack of testosterone. This could be because there is either a problem in the testicles or in the area of the brain that stimulates testosterone production. Hypogonadism can impair sperm production as well as giving you a rising voice and pair of boobs!

Is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for me?

TRT is only a treatment for hypogonadism and is not used for other conditions that may also result in low testosterone. Testosterone can be affected by illness or injury, so in these cases, it is the illness or injury that must be treated to beef up the man juice. After the age of 40, testosterone levels may start to drop too, but again, this is not treated with TRT.

Your doctor will test your blood and if you are diagnosed with hypogonadism, then you can discuss TRT options.

The Good Oil: What is TRT?

TRT is like an oil check. It adds testosterone to a man’s body to restore testosterone levels. A doctor can’t just ‘drop the oil’, so there are a few different ways it can be administered, such as by injections, tablets, gels, creams, testosterone-containing implants and patches.

Fuel-injected

Injections are the most commonly prescribed of these methods. There are two types: long and short. Short-acting injections are given every two weeks, whereas long-acting injections are given every 3 months.

The type of TRT and the dose will be decided by the doctor, depending on what you need and what method best suits you.

TRT: Pimp my ride

If you take TRT for hypogonadism, benefits can include an improvement in your sex drive. However, it is important to keep in mind that our brains can play tricks on us when we start medication. Sometimes increased sex drive can be the result of the placebo effect, meaning you may perceive your sex drive to improve when you start TRT, but the change is actually psychological.

This is fine, but be aware that the placebo effect can wear off after a time. This does not mean the treatment has stopped working.

TRT can also benefit men in other ways, such as reduced body fat, more lean body mass, improved sense of wellbeing and increased bone density.

Service my ride…

As hypogonadism is irreversible, TRT will most likely be a lifelong therapy. The treatment doesn’t kickstart your own testosterone; it only replaces what you are lacking.

Because of this, you’ll need to hang out with your doctor more than you may be used to so that the doctor can monitor the therapy and ensure it’s working. You’ll also need your prostate check-ups, because men with normal testosterone levels have a higher risk of prostate cancer than men with low testosterone levels.

If you never got your car serviced, you would expect it to break down at some point. Just like with your health, it might feel like a hassle now but that’s nothing compared with leaving it too late. For any health concern, you should go speak with your doctor.

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