Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Do you suffer from any of the following?

  • Fatigue and poor energy level
  • Low sex drive (libido)
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Decreased muscle mass
  • Body and facial hair loss
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Low sense of well-being


If so, then you might be suffering from low testosterone (a.k.a. “Low T”) and be
an ideal candidate for Testosterone Replacement Therapy. While symptoms of low testosterone can sometimes obvious, they also can be subtle. Testosterone levels decline naturally in men and women as they age over decades. But certain conditions can also lead to an abnormally low level.


What is Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)?

Testosterone replacement therapy, also called androgen replacement therapy, is
approved to treat male hypogonadism (low testosterone or “Low T”), a condition
in which the body fails to make enough hormones because of a problem with the
testicles, pituitary gland or brain. Men use testosterone to help with fatigue,
erectile dysfunction, loss of sex drive amongst several other things.
Once a patient starts testosterone therapy, the patient usually undergoes lifelong
treatment. Our nurse practitioner will monitor the patient’s hormone levels every
six months to a year. Depending on the patient, the checkups may be more
frequent.


Here at ALL ABOUT HEALTH, we utilize testosterone injections. First approved in
1979, Depo-testosterone is one of the older drugs of its kind on the market. It’s a
liquid and is designed for injection deep into the gluteal or deltoid muscle. The
active ingredient, testosterone cypionate, is a white or creamy white powder
mixed with other ingredients to make a solution.

Why Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Unusually high or low levels of testosterone can significantly affect someone’s
physical and mental health. They typically use testosterone drugs to address a
medical issue — like Low T or erectile dysfunction— or to enhance their physical
performance Testosterone levels in men start to spike during puberty and drop on  average by 1 percent every year after age 30. Lack of this key sex hormone in older men can cause health issues, including osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass and strength
(sarcopenia), and psychological symptoms. While declining testosterone levels
tend to be part of normal aging in men, others experience the dip because of
disorders of the testicles, pituitary gland and brain that cause hypogonadism.
Other factors — such as injury to the testicles, cancer treatments, chronic
diseases, and stress — can also contribute to low testosterone production.
The FDA approved testosterone as replacement therapy only for those who have
low testosterone levels due to disorders that cause hypogonadism.
Enhancing Physical Performance
Because testosterone allows men and women to increase muscle mass and performance,
athletes and body builders use testosterone-boosting supplements and drugs to increase strength and improve recovery time. The practice of using these drugs is called “doping.” Athletes use both synthetic and bioidentical supplements. Body builders in particular are known for their use of synthetic hormones to rapidly increase muscle mass.“Testosterone can help increase muscle mass in a much faster fashion. Athletes who use anabolic steroids may find that they’re able to increase their endurance and their strength by doing the same amount of training as they would otherwise,” Dr. Anthony Yin, an endocrinologist at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. However, using performance-enhancing drugs, testosterone included, is illegal in most sports. While the drug is helpful to men who are clinically diagnosed with Low T, men who abuse these
drugs solely to boost performance face a number of possible side effects. Benefits of Testosterone Therapy What can you expect from testosterone treatment? It's impossible to predict, because every person is different. Many patients report improvement in energy level, sex drive, and quality of life improvement. Testosterone also increases bone density, muscle mass, and insulin sensitivity in some.Patients also often report an improvement in mood from testosterone replacement. Whether these effects are barely noticeable, or a major boost, is highly individualized.


Testosterone Replacement Therapy in women?

A woman’s testosterone levels naturally change throughout her life, her
menstrual cycle, and even at different times of the day. A woman with low
testosterone does not contain enough to help produce new blood cells, maintain
sex drive, or boost levels of other reproductive hormones.
Testosterone belongs to a group of hormones known as androgens. Testosterone
levels affect fertility, sex drive, red blood cell production, and muscle mass and fat
distribution in women. Most people think of testosterone as a male sex hormone,
but everyone requires a certain amount. While males have more testosterone
than females, female adrenal glands and ovaries produce small amounts of this
hormone.
Symptoms in women:

  • sluggishness
  • muscle weakness
  • fatigue
  • sleep disturbances
  • reduced sex drive
  • decreased sexual satisfaction
  • weight gain
  • fertility issues
  • irregular menstrual cycles
  • vaginal dryness
  • loss of bone density

The two main causes of low testosterone are:

 

  • Diminishing levels of the hormone as a normal result of menopause and aging
  • Problems with the ovaries or the pituitary or adrenal glands.

 

Testosterone decreases naturally as a woman ages. Levels of other hormones,
such as estrogen, also reduce over time, especially when a woman reaches
menopause. Around the time that menopause begins, a woman may be more
likely to have less testosterone because the ovaries are producing fewer
hormones. Also, medications that combat the side effects of menopause can
lower testosterone levels. We offer injections or Biote Pellets as our two FDA
approved methods of testosterone treatment in women.
Understanding the difference between TRT and Steroids When you think of testosterone, many think of unnaturally large muscles and aggressive behavior. However, this generally isn’t an accurate picture of this hormone. Many people view testosterone this way due to illegal anabolic steroid use. Unfortunately, many men and women do not seek treatment for symptoms caused by “low T” due to the misconception that all testosterone medications are bad or illegal like the performance enhancing drugs that some athletes use. There are many differences between therapeutic testosterone and steroids. For one, steroids are illegal and TRT is completely legal because it’s prescribed by a
physician. Testosterone replacement therapy can be a helpful treatment for low
testosterone just like any other medication you may take for health conditions.
Anyone can go find testosterone off the street or “knows a guy”. For one, if you’re
using such products, you’re doing something illegal. Also, you don’t really know
the source of that product. Many products as such are made at home and not by
a certified chemist. Our products are pharmaceutical grade and FDA approved.
The main difference between steroid abuse and testosterone injections is the
dosage. Testosterone replacement therapy uses smaller doses with the aim of
bringing your hormone levels into normal, healthy ranges. This generally means
using the smallest dose needed to help increase testosterone levels in your
bloodstream. By contrast, steroid users generally use much higher doses than is
recommended by a doctor. In fact, doses can be anywhere between ten and 100
times higher than the maximum dosage a doctor would prescribe. This can
increase testosterone and other hormone levels beyond the natural limit and can
put your health at risk.