July 11, 2022 0 Comments

Testosterone Therapy

Testosterone Therapy

Could you benefit from testosterone therapy? Let’s find out what different options for testosterone therapy look like, who can benefit from them, and what symptoms testosterone therapy can help with!

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

First things first, let’s chat a little bit about what testosterone replacement therapy is. Testosterone is a hormone produced naturally in the body. If your body does not make enough testosterone to keep your levels in balance, or if your body is no longer producing the amount you need true to aging, you may start experiencing unpleasant side effects. We’ll go over some of these symptoms here in a minute.

Testosterone replacement therapy is not the only hormonal therapy option out there. Just like testosterone levels, other hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone in women, may get a bit out of whack and require treatment to balance again. This type of treatment is called ç, or HRT. Hormone replacement therapy can benefit people who need a little extra boost of a particular hormone or combination of hormones to get their levels optimized again. Sometimes, this therapy is short term.

For example, some younger women may be prescribed a short term bout of estrogen and/or progesterone therapy in order to help the body jump start the correct level of production of these. Once the woman’s hormones are balanced, her doctor may recommend stopping treatment, and keep an eye on hormone levels from there. In other cases, hormone replacement therapy may be long term, or indefinite.

For an example of this, a woman who has had a hysterectomy and is no longer able to produce female hormones at all may require hormone replacement therapy treatments for life. And that is just fine!

That brings us to testosterone replacement therapy. How long can you undergo testosterone therapy? The answer to that is completely dependent on you! When you get a prescription for testosterone therapy, your health care provider will help to guide you with the best options for your unique body and situation. For many people, staying on testosterone therapy is a safe option that they can choose to continue with, but we always advise you to follow your prescription and your health care provider’s directions carefully.

What Does Testosterone Therapy Do?

So what exactly can testosterone therapy do for you? Testosterone therapy can help to fix a multitude of ailments causes by low levels of testosterone in the body. Here are some of the main side effects of low testosterone that you may experience:

Difficulty gaining or maintaining muscle mass Weight gain
Inability to lose fat
Brain fog/lack of mental clarity
ED
Depression
Low sex drive
General low mood
Decreased satisfaction with life
Changes in hair growth
Development of breast tissue
Unexplainable changes in body composition
Loss in bone density
Loss of interest
Loss of muscular strength
Night sweats
Changes in sleeping patterns/circadian rhythm

Do any of these symptoms sound all too familiar to you? Ugh, we feel you— let’s do something about it! When you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, it can be beyond frustrating. Sometimes, these sneaky symptoms can be hard to identify, or may be miss diagnosed, especially by yourself. If you are feeling a lack of motivation, and subsequently you are having a hard time getting to the gym, you may blame your fat gain or muscle loss on pure laziness.

Beating yourself up over being “lazy” will certainly not fix the issue! If a hormonal imbalance is to blame, you simply cannot overcome your symptoms with willpower alone. Low testosterone is a medical issue, and deserves proper medical attention to correct. Do not fall victim to blaming yourself for what you see as failures, when a hormonal imbalance is literally the cause. If you are feeling any of the listed symptoms, do not brush them off! Listen to your body, and get in touch with an expert health care provider right now by simply filling out our form.

What Happens When You Start Taking Testosterone?

Let’s get you feeling like yourself again! Speaking of, what are some benefits of testosterone therapy that you may start to notice once you undergo your treatment? Here are a few of the most common positive side effects of testosterone therapy:

Increased lean muscle mass
Increased libido
Improved recovery time
Decreased brain fog
Sharper mental clarity
Improved quality of sleep
Increased energy levels
Improved overall mood
Increased sex drive, and improved sexual health
Changes in body composition
Improved bone health
Fat loss
Improved red blood cell production
Better hair and skin health
Enhanced feeling of wellbeing
Improved sense of life satisfaction

That’s more like it, right? If you feel like you could benefit from testosterone therapy, you are in the right place. First, you’ll need to determine which form of testosterone replacement therapy you’d like to try, as recommended by one of our amazing healthcare professionals.

There are several different vehicles that you may choose from when you are selecting the best form of testosterone replacement therapy for you. Let’s chat about the differences in the options available!

What is the Best Form of Testosterone Therapy?

Everyone has different needs, goals, and preferences. Some people may require a specific form of testosterone therapy due to outside factors, but we will give you a quick rundown of your options here, and which one is our most recommended.

The three main forms of testosterone therapy are testosterone pellets, testosterone creams and gels, and of course, testosterone injections or testosterone shots.

Which of these options is right for you?

While we of course recommend speaking with one of our expert healthcare providers to find the right solution for your unique body, health, and lifestyle, we can tell you that in most cases, testosterone shots have proven to be the most preferable option for testosterone replacement therapy.

Testosterone shots provide a slow-release, easy to use dose of testosterone that you can administer to yourself weekly from the comfort of your own home. This is highly preferable to many people, because they no longer have to spend time waiting in doctor’s offices, scheduling procedures that get in the way of their life, of experiencing hormonal highs and lows when other forms of therapy are not timed out 100% perfectly.

Testosterone pellets, for example, require you to book in at your doctor’s office about once a quarter to undergo a small procedure. This means that all traveling, big events, and other things in your life must be scheduled around these visits. The pellets are surgically inserted into the hip, which requires post-op care such as surgical bandages and limited activity until the site is fully healed. The process can also build up scar tissue over time, as you get more and more incisions on the hips each quarter. Of course, the area can usually be hidden by most swimsuits etc, but it can still be potentially visible or uncomfortable for some.

Creams and gels are a good option for people who cannot handle needles (even the tiniest of needles, which are available for testosterone injections!), but they do have their downside as well. For one thing, you have to be extremely careful not to allow transfer of testosterone therapy to others when you apply your cream or gel. The cream or gel takes time to absorb fully into the skin. Before it is completely absorbed, any contact with a child, partner, or pet could be dangerous to their health. You also cannot exercise, shower, or swim for a period of time after applying, since sweat and water can prevent full absorption. That can be quite limiting to your schedule!

Testosterone shots are a favorite for a reason. There is no mess, no absorption time, no possibility of dangerous transfer, and no procedures required. You can give yourself your dose once a week right at home, without having to visit the doctor’s office. They provide a slow release of the hormone replacement through the muscle, which means you will not experience hormonal highs and lows that are possible with other forms of therapy.

Ready to get started? Let’s get you going on your testosterone therapy today!