Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Benefits of testosterone replacement therapy

Benefits of testosterone replacement therapy

Testosterone replacement therapyEffective testosterone therapy has numerous immediate and long term benefits. These include:

Physical

Increased energy;
Increased bone density;
Reduced risk of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome;
Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease;
Reduced risk of osteoporosis;
Reduced body fat;
Reduced risk of anaemia; and
Increased lean body mass and muscle strength.
Sexual

Increased libido;
Increased sexual enjoyment;
Increased satisfaction with erections; and
Increased sexual activity.
Psychological

Improved mood and sense of wellbeing; and
Improved cognition and memory function.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Introduction to testosterone replacement therapy

Testosterone replacement therapy is a treatment in which additional testosterone is added to a man’s body (e.g. by injecting medicines that contain testosterone), to increase the concentration of testosterone in his body. It is used to treat hypogonadism, a condition characterised by low levels of testosterone in the blood and clinical symptoms of testosterone deficiency (e.g. lack of body hair, excessive breast growth). Hypogonadism occurs when a man’s testes do not produce enough testosterone, either because the testes are not working properly, or because the hypothalamus or pituitary gland in the brain are not working properly. The hypothalamus and pituitary glands produce hormones that stimulate testosterone production in the testes.

The aim of testosterone replacement therapy is to increase blood testosterone concentrations to normal levels. In doing so, it can also restore the man’s sex drive and expression of male sex characteristics (e.g. deep voice, body hair).

Testosterone is one of the oldest marketed drugs and has been used in testosterone replacement therapy since the 1930s.


Who uses testosterone replacement therapy?


Testosterone replacement therapy is used to treat men who have received a definitive diagnosis of hypogonadism. In order to be diagnosed with hypogonadism, a man must have both low blood concentrations of testosterone and clinical symptoms of deficiency (e.g. lack of body hair, breast growth). As most of the causes that underlie testosterone deficiency (e.g. testicular dysfunction) are untreatable, most men who commence testosterone replacement therapy must be treated for the rest of their lives. In men with reversible or age-related causes of testosterone deficiency, testosterone replacement therapy is not used.

Negative Side Effects of Testosterone

Testosterone is a male hormone that is mainly produced in the testicles. It helps in the development of sex organs, sperm, and sex drive. The hormone also helps maintain classic male characteristics like muscle strength and mass, facial and body hair, and deep vocal tones. A man’s testosterone levels normally peak in early adulthood and gradually decrease with age.

Topical testosterone is used to treat men who have hypogonadism, a condition that interferes with a man’s ability to produce testosterone. Topical testosterone can be helpful to men with hypogonadism, but for some, it comes with unwanted side effects.

The most common side effects of topical testosterone cream are related to the urinary tract. Some men develop the need to urinate a lot more than usual, including during the night. You may feel an urgent need to urinate, even when your bladder isn’t full.

Other symptoms include difficulty urinating and blood in the urine. If you’re using a testosterone cream and have urinary trouble, consult with your doctor.