Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Men
Renew Medical CT is a health and wellness clinic that specializes in making a better and more healthy you! From medically assisted weight loss to hormone replacement, Renew Medical CT offers a full service concierge medicine approach to addressing your individual health needs. Operating out of Westport, Connecticut, Renew was opened to address the inherent inaccessibility of these services and to create a comfortable platform for people to talk with a healthcare provider about their health and wellness goals.
While you may have seen posts on our Instagram page regarding Semaglutide or Tirzepatide treatment for weight loss, we wanted to take a moment to share more detailed information about another side of our clinic – testosterone replacement therapy for men. Below we will discuss how these treatments work, their benefits, and who is eligible to start. Our goal is to ensure that every patient is fully informed and confident in their decision to start treatment!
Understanding Testosterone’s Role in Men
Testosterone is the primary hormone in men that creates the defining attributes of the male body. Testosterone initially plays a vital role in the body by developing secondary sexual characteristics in adolescents (for example, facial and body hair, deepening of voices, etc.). Testosterone then goes on to regulate several key functions throughout the lifespan, including the development of muscle mass and strength, maintenance of bone density, production of red blood cells, increases in metabolic rate, and the overall maintenance of energy levels and mood stability.
Under normal circumstances, peak levels of testosterone are seen in adolescent years, with a gradual decline starting around age 30. This decline can be accelerated in people with diabetes, obesity, or other metabolic diseases. Environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol or drug use, sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, and poor sleep can also accelerate this decline.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone
As testosterone levels drop in men, they may experience a variety of physical and cognitive symptoms. These symptoms often can be very general, making it difficult to identify low testosterone as the underlying cause without proper medical evaluation. Common symptoms include fatigue and/or reduced energy levels, mood changes such as irritability and depression, cognitive changes like reduced mental clarity and difficulty concentrating, reduced sex drive (libido), erectile dysfunction, increased body fat, and anemia.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
There are many mainstream misconceptions regarding the therapeutic role of testosterone in a man with low or suboptimal testosterone levels. Most of these come from misinformation, outdated beliefs, and a lack of understanding about the benefits and potential risks associated with testosterone therapy, often perpetuated by sensationalized media reports and unverified online sources.
The goal of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is to increase a man’s testosterone from low to optimal, or from suboptimal to optimal in the presence of symptoms. What does this mean? Depending on the institution or lab, a normal testosterone value ranges from 300 ng/dL all the way to 1200 ng/dL. There is a very wide range of normative values as this number is age-specific; meaning, older men will obviously have lower testosterone than younger men, and men of the same age may have differences based on some of the factors outlined above.
“Optimal” testosterone has not been concretely defined in the literature. “Optimal” is by definition the most effective condition, degree, or amount available under certain conditions. In the case of TRT, we can define “optimal” as the most favorable number that maximizes a therapeutic benefit. This will be variable in most men, but the goal is the mitigation of symptoms of low testosterone with the lowest dose possible that minimizes the occurrence of side effects. This will vary from person to person, but our optimal range at Renew Medical CT is highly patient-dependent.
Benefits of Testosterone Replacement
The goal of testosterone replacement in men is to improve the quality of life in patients with low or suboptimal testosterone that may be experiencing symptoms of low testosterone. Overall, patients can expect enhanced energy levels, an improvement in mood, improved libido and sexual performance, better cognitive function and mental clarity, and increased muscle mass and strength.
Risks of Testosterone Replacement
The overall risk of testosterone replacement in men is low if done correctly. Most of the risks associated with the use of testosterone come from supraphysiologic levels, or levels that are higher than normal. As stated above, we are increasing testosterone to normal levels in men with low testosterone or increasing the levels in suboptimal men to a value within the normal range – therefore, the risks remain low. Some of the adverse effects associated with testosterone replacement include hair loss, acne or oily skin, breast enlargement, reduced sperm production and testicular shrinkage, increased red blood cell count, and blood clots. Most of these adverse effects can be avoided or attenuated with other pharmacologic protocols. Testosterone replacement is contraindicated (cannot be used) in any man with a history of prostate or breast cancer, severe lower urinary tract symptoms, high red blood cell counts, severe sleep apnea, or heart failure.
Get Started on Your Path to Better Health
Take your first steps towards improving the quality of your life with a free consultation with Renew Medical CT to see if you qualify for treatment of low testosterone or have symptoms of low testosterone. We offer 1 on 1 consultations in the privacy of your home or office, without the hassle of an embarrassing trip to an urology office that fits around your schedule and at your own convenience. You will receive personalized care to address your individual needs. Call us at 203-670-5001, email us at [email protected], or click here to book now! We also have an option to ask questions on our website under the “contact” page where you can ask questions relating to any topic regarding testosterone replacement therapy.
Now offering in-office consultations at our new office location: 3 Sylvan Rd S, Westport, CT 06880
References:
- Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. *J Clin Endocrinol Metab*. 2018;103:1715.
- Hall, J. E. (2020). Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology (14th ed.). Elsevier.
- Zhu A, Andino J, Daignault-Newton S, Chopra Z, Sarma A, Dupree JM. What Is a Normal Testosterone Level for Young Men? Rethinking the 300 ng/dL Cutoff for Testosterone Deficiency in Men 20-44 Years Old. Journal of Urology [Internet]. 2022 Dec 1 [cited 2024 Jun 5];208(6):1295–302. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002928
Charles Severo, PA-C, COO of Renew Medical CT, Health & Wellness Advisor
