Testing should be done in the morning (before 10 a.m.) when levels peak, and repeated on a separate day. Ask about lab bundles and telehealth follow‑ups to save time and cost. Screen for sleep apnea, diabetes, thyroid disorders, liver disease, and iron overload, treating these can nudge T upward and improve symptoms. Seven to nine hours of consistent sleep can increase testosterone and improve GH/IGF‑1 signaling. Available by prescription from your medical provider, you pick up this medication at your pharmacy and apply it daily to the skin on your shoulders and upper arms after showering. We have consistently found that the benefits of injections far outweigh the risks for the majority of patients. This schedule of injections is still the most accurate and consistent method on the market when it comes to keeping your levels within proper limits while addressing symptoms. Every method of delivering that supplemental testosterone compound has advantages and disadvantages that present themselves over the course of treatment. The levels rise, the symptoms are eased, and you stay stable for a short period of time. You need a provider who is reliable, dependable, and able to keep up with your ongoing therapy. Just like any form of medical therapy, there are potential risks and benefits which must be weighed on an individual basis. When a man’s hormone levels are restored to balance through a treatment plan that includes TRT, many men see a rapid improvement in their physical ability to perform sexually. A healthy hormone balance keeps your body tuned to produce more muscle and less fat, which can lead to a healthier self-image and higher perception of quality of life. Testosterone is not a compound that your body evolved to ingest directly. "Users of oral (typically, over-the-counter) testosterone supplements… should be wary… Some over-the-counter forms of testosterone taken orally are known to cause liver damage when the supplements are metabolized…." Ingesting testosterone through your stomach can cause severe liver damage. As treatment continues, it may be necessary to change the dose or type of treatment over time. Therapy isn’t a simple matter of increasing or reducing a single hormone. Center meals on protein (1.0–1.2 g/kg/day for most), fiber, colorful produce, and healthy fats. For oral TU, plan regular blood pressure monitoring. Blood pressure, lipids, sleep apnea, hematocrit, and smoking status deserve attention before and during therapy. If hematocrit climbs, your clinician may lower the dose, split injections, switch formulations, or pause therapy. Testosterone therapy suppresses sperm production, sometimes to zero, within months. Expect sexual benefits within weeks, energy and mood within 1–2 months, and body composition changes over 3–6 months alongside resistance training and protein intake. "This discussion should include what your potential benefits or side effects and long-term health implications could be." Some healthcare professionals specialize in working with cisgender men with low testosterone, while others specialize in providing gender affirming care. Start by finding a qualified clinician who is knowledgeable in testosterone therapy. Your clinician may also have certain requirements before they will allow you to move forward with testosterone therapy. If you’re under age 18, you may be able to receive testosterone therapy with parental consent. Generally speaking, access to gender affirming care — which includes testosterone therapy — is limited to consenting adults ages 18 and older. In these cases, you may start something called testosterone therapy. Your levels are likely to be lower than they should be if you’re suffering from low testosterone. PSA numbers are not as precise an indicator of prostate cancer as we’d like to think they are. When you receive Testosterone Replacement Therapy here at TCT, we start off your treatment by checking various markers in your blood. An enzyme in your body breaks down testosterone, and DHT interacts with your hypersensitive follicles. If you don’t have those genes, even elevated levels of testosterone are not going to cause you to lose your hair. However, the amount of testosterone in a man’s body has nothing to do with whether he will or will not develop male pattern baldness.
