You’ve probably come across advertisements by celebrities touting the wonders of testosterone replacement therapy, claiming that raising testosterone levels makes men feel younger and stronger, and that it enhances their sex lives.
This all sounds great, but does testosterone replacement therapy
(TRT) testosterone replacement therapy is a powerful anti-aging? The answer is: like all claims, don’t believe the hype.
“For some older men, raising lower testosterone levels can improve some aspects of their physical and mental health, but testosterone replacement therapy won’t turn back the clock,” says Dr. Michael O’Leary, urologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, affiliated with Harvard University. suddenly back.”
Low testosterone levels
Testosterone is the sex hormone that gives men their masculine traits. Produced by the testicles, this hormone helps shape classic characteristics such as depth of voice, facial hair, and muscle size and strength. It also nourishes the libido in men.
Doctors define a normal blood testosterone level as 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) or higher. According to the American College of Physicians, a man’s testosterone level decreases by about 1.6 percent per year starting in his mid-30s. About 20 percent of men aged 60 and over have low levels of testosterone, rising to 30 percent for men age 70 and 50 percent for men age 80.
In addition to normal age-related decline, a significant drop in testosterone can also occur as a result of taking medications (particularly anabolic steroids) or damage to the testicles, from injury, infection, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Getting an accurate reading may require several blood tests, especially since testosterone levels change throughout the day. Tests are often taken between 7 am and 10 am, when testosterone is at its peak. Low levels can cause any of the following symptoms and conditions:
* Depression
Decreased self-confidence
* Difficulty concentrating
* Sleep disturbance
* Decreased muscle and bone mass
* Increased body fat
* Tired
Swelling or sagging of the breast
* Feeling warm
* Decreased sex drive
* Decreased times of spontaneous erection
Difficulty maintaining an erection.
Your doctor may recommend testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) if your hormone levels drop below 300 ng/dL, Dr. O’Leary says. However, this does not have to happen automatically; The first step is to determine whether any symptoms attributable to low testosterone are related to something else that can be treated.
For example, symptoms such as feeling tired, having difficulty concentrating, and low sex drive can be caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, and insufficient sleep. Stress, anxiety, and depression can be side effects of erectile dysfunction, and according to Dr. O’Leary, “raising low testosterone levels alone will not solve these problems.”
Testosterone replacement therapy
If troublesome symptoms and low testosterone persist after exploring these possibilities, your doctor may prescribe short-term testosterone replacement therapy. The treatment is usually given as a daily ointment or cream, or as a patch on the skin (usually on the shoulder or thigh, which are easily accessible places). Testosterone treatments can also be taken by mouth daily or injected weekly or fortnightly. Another option is pellets implanted in the buttocks that slowly release testosterone over a period of weeks. “There is no advantage to one application over another, but the injection may have a faster effect,” Dr. O’Leary added.
After you have been on testosterone therapy for about two months, your doctor will evaluate your symptoms. If there is no significant improvement, then the dose may be increased, continued at the current dose for a little longer, or stopped.
In this regard, Dr. O’Leary advises, “Keep in mind that testosterone therapy may not work for everyone or may only have a minimal effect.”
Another aspect to consider is that if you have a good response, you may need to maintain testosterone therapy indefinitely to maintain benefit. This is because your body stops producing its own testosterone while you are on treatment.
Testosterone therapy can have short-term side effects, such as acne, troubled breathing during sleep, swollen or sagging breasts, or swollen ankles. “However, for the majority of eligible men, the benefits of testosterone replacement therapy usually outweigh these potential risks,” says Dr. O’Leary.
However, there are concerns about long-term use of testosterone replacement therapy, and scientists are exploring whether it stimulates the growth of prostate cancer cells. Some research has indicated that it may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease.
A more nuanced answer in this area may come from the recently completed TRAVERSE trial, which looked at the relationship between testosterone therapy and serious cardiovascular problems among more than 5,000 men over five years.
Results will be announced soon. For now, the evidence is still mixed regarding these potential risks. So; The safest option for men at risk of heart disease or who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer is to avoid testosterone replacement therapy.
* Harvard Letter «Monitoring Men’s Health» – «Tribune Media» services
2023-06-27 08:25:28
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