First, the testosterone humor I know:
(when discussing the odd behavior that resulted in a young man’s injury):”Testosterone is a neurotoxin”.
Testosterone replacement is a valuable treatment, and isn’t anything I will ever do in my practice. It isn’t an emergency.
That having been said, I stumbled across a very good summary article about testosterone replacement therapy in the Digital Urology Journal. (I wonder if they were aware of the humor in ‘Digital Urology’).
Basically, benefits of medically indicated replacement are:
to enhance libido and the frequency of sexual acts and sleep-related erections… … positive effects on fatigue, mood, and sexual function, as well as significant increases in sexual activity… … improve positive mood parameters, such as feelings of wellness and friendliness, while reducing negative mood parameters, such as anger, nervousness, and irritability.
There are basically three different approaches to testosterone replacement: pills, shots, and patches.
Pills work, but elevate people’s liver enzymes, and need to be taken several times a day. Shots work, usually one a week, at least until a steady-state concentration is achieved.
The patch section made me laugh; one is applied directly to the scrotum (to take advantage of a particular enzyme activity of that skin). The other patches are for ‘regular’ skin.
So, you think you might benefit? See your doctor, who will either order the correct tests and perform the exam, or refer you to a urologist for the workup.
To find your own urologist, UrologyHealth.org can help.
