Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy For Low T Safe
Yes, testosterone replacement therapy is completely safe.
In fact, its preferable to other invasive weight loss options. Testosterone replacement therapy may appear new but its been around for quite some time now.
Testosterone therapy such as an injection is not only used for weight loss. If a patient suffers from hypogonadism or other testosterone-related conditions, that person could legally receive a shot or treatment. In some cases, its also used for men with erectile dysfunction.
And testosterone therapy doesnt have to be administered through injections. There are supplements, skin patches, or creams that can have similar benefits.
We should note, however, that all injections must be done under medical supervision.
And youll still need to do physical activities and find the right diet to maximize the weight loss potential. You cant live a sedentary lifestyle even after receiving testosterone shots otherwise you risk staying overweight or obese.
Now You Know More About The Ideal Testosterone Dosage For Strength Gains
Obviously, its advisable to talk to your TRT doctor and ask any questions you might have about testosterone dosage. Finding the ideal dose for you is also a matter of experimenting and seeing how you feel over time. Make sure that you keep a close eye on your blood work as well.
For more information about testosterone dosage for muscle gains, make sure that you check out this thread. Youll learn from other men who have different testosterone dosages and what was their experience while on TRT.
How To Know What Compounds To Choose In Your Stack
Once you get to a point where you’re forced to use an AI just to use a higher dose of Testosterone, was it a wise choice to use that much Testosterone in the first place?
Personally, I believe that is where introducing a DHT derivative would then be justified rather than increasing your Testosterone dosage even higher.
The DHT derivative will accomplish the following:
- Exhibits inherent anabolic effects itself and are typically well tolerated .
- Some can bind with SHBG, consequently freeing up more Testosterone to be used in tissues. Thus making your current dose of Testosterone work better.
- Some can antagonize Estrogen, consequently reducing your need for an AI. This may even give you more wiggle room to increase your Testosterone dose even higher without needing an AI.
Only once you’ve plateaued from a cycle comprised of a Test base and a DHT derivative do I believe you should even consider introducing a 19-Nor, as they are the least forgiving on health markers, despite their superior anabolic/androgenic tissue selectivity.
All steroids accomplish the same thing at the end of the day more or less, so how they are used in your protocol should be based on your propensity to side effects and individual specific biomarkers.
In addition, your tolerance to androgenic activity needs to be factored in, as managing hair loss and other androgenic side effects on hormones is a totally different ballgame than managing side effects in a completely health focused context.
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Does Testosterone Build Muscle Fast
Testosterone is responsible for increased muscle mass. Leaner body mass helps control weight and increases energy. For men with low testosterone, studies show that treatment can decrease fat mass and increase muscle size and strength. Some men reported a change in lean body mass but no increase in strength.
Effect Of Testosterone: Your Mood Can Improve
Similar to its effects on energy, experts don’t have a definitive answer to why testosterone impacts mood so deeplyafter all, “the brain is a complicated thing,” says Dr. Tamlerbut they do see it as a potential life-changing benefit.
“In some ways, the impact on mood is one of the most profound benefits of T that we see,” says Dr. Morgentaler. “Not everybody has that, but when we see it, it’s remarkable. In my practice, patients will say, ‘Oh, my mood’s OK, maybe I just feel a little bit tired or blah.’ And they come back and they say things like, ‘I wake up in the morning and I’m optimistic about my day. I haven’t felt that way in years.'”
In fact, a 2012 study published in The Aging Male found that after 12 months of testosterone therapy, the percentages of guys with moderately severe to severe depression symptoms decreased from 17 percent to 2 percent.
And more recent research also backs that up: “The largest randomized control trial for T was just completed a year ago, called the T Trials, and it showed that men who received T had a greater improvement in mood than men who received placebo,” notes Dr. Morgentaler.
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Can Muscle Mass Increase With Low T
If you experience the frustrating effects of Low T, you have several options and treatment that can help you rebuild muscle mass. If your doctor determines that Low T is a contributing factor to your decline in muscle mass, he may recommend testosterone replacement therapy .
One of the benefits of TRT is that it helps increase lean muscle mass and decrease belly fat. As with any treatment plan at Mens T-Clinic®, your doctor monitors all aspects of your overall health and tracks your progress, including changes to your BMI. In addition to TRT, your doctor may recommend the following:
- Eat a healthier, well-balanced diet with plenty of lean protein
- Lose weight if you are overweight
- Exercise regularly, focusing on aerobics and strength training
- Get enough sleep each night
For men with Low T, making diet and exercise changes alone may not be enough to prevent muscle mass loss. Its important to treat the underlying condition of low testosterone levels if you want to get the most positive outcome of optimizing your muscle mass. In other words, optimizing testosterone levels means optimizing muscle mass.
We see patients for low testosterone, libido, and low muscle mass. We focus on total Men’s Wellness.Call us to book your appointment today.
Testosterone Therapy In Females
Testosterone therapy is more controversial in females than in males.
Normal total testosterone levels in healthy adult females are 1570 ng/dl. Low testosterone in females can cause fertility problems, irregular periods, vaginal dryness, and a low sex drive. Despite this, doctors do not often recommend testosterone injections to treat low testosterone in females, as they can have masculinizing effects.
However, doctors may recommend testosterone therapy to help with hypoactive sexual desire disorder in females after menopause. Research has not supported their use for other signs and symptoms that people may experience after menopause, which include anxiety, mood changes, weight gain, and reduced bone density.
Currently, the FDA have not approved any products for testosterone therapy in females. Additionally, in the USA, there are no readily available formulations that provide the recommended treatment dose of 300 micrograms per day for females. As a result, a female will typically need a compounding pharmacy to fill the prescription.
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Exercise Supports Healthy Testosterone Levels Trt Overcomes Low T
If youre struggling to put in the fitness work to meet your goals due to chronic fatigue, you might consider the possibility that youre suffering from low testosterone.
If youre having an unusually difficult time losing excess weight or youre having trouble maintaining your weight despite proper eating and exercise, hormone imbalances like Low T might be the culprit.
We recommend taking the first step towards looking and feeling better by getting a thorough examination that focuses on finding the actual source of your symptoms.
The first consult is free click the button to get started.
Natural Ways To Increase Your Testosterone Levels
Some foods, vitamins, and herbs can help boost your testosterone levels. Be sure to talk to your doctor, if youre concerned about low testosterone. These alternative and natural treatments arent proven to be more, or as, effective as traditional testosterone therapy. Some may also interact with any medications you may be taking and cause unintended side effects.
| Herbs |
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The Path To Intuitive Eating
Maintaining a healthy diet today seems nearly impossible. The built environment of modern day America makes it so easy to eat poorly. 100 years ago we had to work to get food and spend energy to get energy. Today there’s no limit on the foods we can eat, and it’s a little too easy to indulge in our built in biological drive to consume high fat and high sugar foods.
Dr. Alex Pastuszak has worked hard to become an “intuitive eater.” He’s practiced for years to get a good understanding of how much food and the types of food his body needs to stay healthy. He even finds himself looking forward to eating food that makes him feel good like a salad for lunch.
His secret is to make sure that he’s never on a “diet.” Diets are short term and focused on getting a person to lose weight or gain muscle. These quick-fix approaches to look better don’t necessarily lead to good dietary habits. Dr Pastuszak urges people to focus on their health and forming good eating habits that can last a lifetime, rather than a fad diet that will help you lose a couple pounds for just a couple months.
Scot is working towards getting to a place where he can eat intuitively. He watches his diet closely and still weighs out his food. He hates weighing his food all the time, but is teaching himself what portion sizes should look like and how much he should be eating. He looks forward to the day he can stop weighing his food and eat intuitively.
Will Testosterone Really Cure Everything
Low energy? Get some T! No libido? Get T! Overweight. T will fix it! Youve heard the ads, but are they true? Dr. Alex Pastuszak explains everything you need to know about testosterone therapy and whether its right for you.
This content was originally created for audio. Some elements such as tone, sound effects, and music can be hard to translate to text. As such, the following is a summary of the episode and has been edited for clarity. For the full experience, we encourage you to subscribe and listen it’s more fun that way.
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Injectable Testosterone Might Be Better For Strength Gains Rather Than Gels
As mentioned earlier, there are numerous administration methods for testosterone, but their effects vary greatly. For example, studies have proven that injecting testosterone is better for muscle gains instead of taking testosterone gels. Thats because when you inject testosterone, higher peak T levels are usually attained. As a result, it can help increase muscle mass with greater efficiency.
Even if you go for scrotal creams that offer better absorption, youd still better off with injections. Bodybuilders have used testosterone injections for decades and thats why they have been able to achieve almost superhuman levels of muscle.
Why People Use Injectable Testosterone For Bodybuilding
One of the good things about being young is that it is relatively easy to build muscle. However as the years go by, testosterone levels start to fall and as a result of this, it becomes harder and harder to build muscle and stay slim.
It can also lead to a number of health issues, including reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, reduced appetite, fatigue, depression and weight gain, for example.
Thats why many men seek a quick fix solution, and one obvious solution is to use testosterone injections because these can help restore testosterone levels and make it easier to build muscle mass.
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Testosterone Use And Effect On Muscle Growth Size & Strength
Keywords: Sarcopenia, Low-T and Muscle Cell Loss, Muscle Cell Fiber, Muscle Hypertrophy, Testosterone and Muscle Size, Androgen and Muscle Cell, Weight Loss, Metabolism, Androgen Receptor, Muscle Growth, Low Testosterone and Muscle Wasting and Fatigue, Weight Gain, Gaining Muscle on Testosterone, Physical Function and Testosterone, SARMS
Men with low-testosterone have decreased lean muscle mass compared to men with normal testosterone levels. The administration of testosterone to men with low-T results in an increase in lean muscle mass, muscle protein synthesis and enhanced fat cell loss.
The increase in muscle mass secondary to testosterone administration was first thought to be universal for all skeletal muscle in the human body however, studies have found that muscles in the body respond differently to testosterone replacement . The muscles of the upper back, shoulders, head, and arms were most those most affected by testosterone and seemingly increase in size. The muscle of the thigh were not found be affected by testosterone as much. The exact mechanism why certain muscles are affected by androgen administration is unclear, but could relate to the hypothesis of different androgen receptor phenotypes in different muscle groups. Further research into this receptor variability within skeletal muscles could illicit androgens that affect and grow particular muscles more so than others.
Low-T causes muscle cell loss.
Effect Of Testosterone: Your Skin Type May Change
Going on testosterone replacement therapy may change your skin typefor better or for worse, says Dr. Morgentaler.
Like other hormones, testosterone can increase oil production, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s important for healthy skin, so you may actually end up with a better complexion. However, too much oily buildup can lead to breakouts.
Thankfully, this isn’t that common, says Dr. Morgentaler, and it’s typically seen in men who have a history of acne.
Similar to the fluid retention, this is mainly seen with treatments like injections, when you’re getting a higher dose all at once.
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Advanced Aas Protocol Framework
The foundation of each blast phase after I deem my body had reached an advanced stage of AAS use again would likely include Testosterone as my base, Primobolan and Nandrolone.
While certain compounds could be considered interchangeable, I see no need to rotate compounds in and out during a mass building phase.
The primary growth promoters of that stack are Testosterone and Nandrolone, but the dosages of each would be highly dependent on individual gene expression and health markers .
I’ve been on therapeutic TRT for years so I would milk this compound progression again if I wanted to experience significant progress without needing to jump straight into an advanced stack.
It should take you at least a couple years of cycling before you work your body up to a point where a protocol designed using advanced cycle framework is even necessary to deploy to break muscle building plateaus.
The Trouble With Testosterone Supplementation
Sidebar: One should definitely NOT assess low T through an online quiz.
Most US males, whether silver foxes or dad bods, will see their testosterone decline with age, dropping around 1-3% per year after the age of 30. Testosterone prescriptions are on the rise , but many questions remain about whether age related declines in testosterone require treatment. Some studies even suggest there are risks associated with testosterone treatment, including increased heart attacks and strokes though there is not yet sufficient data to make a conclusion either way. In the 1990s there was an increase in prescriptions of hormonal replacement therapies for post-menopausal women without long term studies on their efficacy or safety. Post-menopausal hormone replacement therapies were intended to prevent hot flashes and increase bone density but also resulted in increased risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer for millions of women. When a large, long term study examining the efficacy and safety of menopausal hormone replacement studies was finally conducted , it was halted prematurely because of high rates of breast cancer.
What is testosterone? What does it do?
Ok, so testosterone could help weight lifters and athleteswhy would doctors be prescribing it to older men?
Birds and testosterone and trade-offs Oh my!
Canary in the Coal Mine,
Staying Alive Typically Trumps Reproduction, image by Ben Trumble
Army Ranger Training Brigade via Wikimedia Commons
Getting juiced
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How Long Does It Take To See The Effects Of Exogenous Testosterone
This is a good question and its usually asked by men of all ages who want to see the fruits of their labor in gyms. As mentioned in this article, you might be able to experience increases in muscle size and a reduction of fat mass after 3-4 months of administering testosterone. This period can vary slightly from individual to individual, but it will continue to show improvements for years to come for people on TRT.
Exercise May Increase The Benefits Of Testosterone Replacement Treatment
Research shows that exercise may improve how effective testosterone replacement therapy is for patients. A recent study set out to understand how exercise affects TRT. Researchers found that physical activity resulted in a lot of positive benefits for men on TRT. For the study, researchers divided men into two groups: a control group where men took testosterone replacement therapy and led a sedentary lifestyle, and the test group that exercised along with TRT. The second group started an exercise regimen for one hour and twenty minutes three times a week. The exercises included 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, 10 minutes of stretching, 30 minutes of strength training, and 20 additional minutes of aerobics. This group experienced some key changes compared to the control group.
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Fatigue: Low Testosterone Handicaps Your Exercise Efforts
One of the most common symptoms of hormone imbalance, including clinical hypogonadism , hypothyroidism, and low estrogen, is chronic fatigue.
It is often found that men suffering from low testosterone or other hormone imbalances simply dont have the energy levels they used to.
This loss of vigor can make working out or staying active more difficult.
Going to the gym or hitting the streets for a run can seem impossible, or at least very unpleasant, when youre already exhausted.