Start with a blood test
By Mike Kocsis | 7 minutes read | Last updated: November 28, 2024
Medically Reviewed by Dr. George Touliatos
If you are one of the millions of men that struggle with low testosterone each year, then one of the first questions that you might have is probably whether testosterone therapy is safe. Safety is the primary concern for most people. If you are thinking of having testosterone replacement therapy, you’ll want to know if TRT is successful. in this article, you’ll learn about the potential risks associated with TRT and whether it is considered to be a safe treatment.
Signs of Low Testosterone
If you want to understand the effects of testosterone, you should start with the symptoms of low testosterone. Knowing the signs of low testosterone will give you more insight as to what areas of the body are affected. The effects and symptoms of low testosterone can mostly be grouped into 3 possible categories.
Mind
Low testosterone can affect the mind in many ways. This includes depression, reduced self-confidence, difficulty focusing, trouble sleeping, and more. These aspects affect your state of mind on a consistent basis and can become debilitating. The mind is one of the most heavily impacted areas of the body when it comes to low testosterone. While many people think of testosterone as affecting men physically, it can also have a negative impact mentally and emotionally.
Body
When people think about the symptoms of low testosterone, most people think of the physical toll on the body. Testosterone plays a large role in the development and health of the body. It contributes to muscle and bone mass, body fat levels, fatigue, hot flashes, swollen breasts, and more. All of these things and more can be impacted when you have low testosterone. This is one of the reasons that so many people pursue TRT. TRT provides men with much-needed relief from these unpleasant symptoms when executed successfully.
Sex Life
Lastly, the impact that men find to be most difficult if they are going through low testosterone. This is the impact on sex life. If you are experiencing low testosterone, then you are no stranger to the impact that low testosterone can have on the sex life. Testosterone is the male hormone that is responsible for many aspects of a male’s sex life such as sex drive, erection quality and frequency, and the sustainability of erections. A male that is having problems with low testosterone can see a decrease in performance across the board and this will naturally be one of the main motivators behind trying to seek out TRT. Successful implementation of TRT can result in improved sex life and reverse all the factors that occur when testosterone is low.
What Does Testosterone Replacement Therapy Do?
The most important part of knowing whether TRT is right for you is understanding exactly what it does and why it is used as a treatment. Assessing the risks and whether it is the right choice for your situation involves getting to know TRT on a more deep level. Testosterone replacement therapy is designed to help men with low testosterone regain the ability to produce more testosterone. It can be administered in a variety of ways including gels, injection, and skin patches.
One important thing to know about testosterone replacement therapy is that it is not intended to be used in every situation to do with low testosterone. There are limits to what TRT can do and to who may or may not be a good candidate. TRT is designed to help men that are experiencing the symptoms of hypogonadism, which is the body’s inability to produce enough testosterone as a result of an external factor that does not have to do with age or physical shape.
Many men across the world experience hypogonadism, which prevents men from producing the right amount of testosterone regardless of their age or physical condition. What testosterone replacement therapy is not designed to do is reverse the effects of natural ageing. As men age, their level of testosterone and the ability to produce testosterone naturally declines. This is part of the natural ageing process and is usually not attributed to or accompanied by hypogonadism.
For men that are experiencing low testosterone despite being young and healthy as a result of hypogonadism, TRT is usually the right choice. This is the demographic that the treatment was intended for, so naturally, it is safer and more effective to use TRT with these types of patients. You can make TRT safer by insisting to use it only when you are a good candidate and not risking the negative side effects that could occur if you try to force the issue of higher testosterone regardless of the natural ageing process in men.
Risks of Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Regardless of whether you are young or older, TRT does have treatment risks and side effects that could occur if you choose this treatment. This is no different from any other treatment or therapy on the market. One thing that is important to know is that these symptoms may be at increased risk or worsened in severity when used in men that are not considered to be good and natural candidates for TRT. To put yourself at a lower risk, ensure you meet the profile of a suitable candidate for TRT.
The risks of using testosterone replacement therapy include:
- Worsened sleep apnea and other sleep disorders
- Increased acne and other skin conditions
- Growth of the prostate
- Increased risk for prostate cancer
- Enlarged breast tissue
- Low sperm production
- Testicles shrinking
- Increasing red blood cell production
- Increased risk for blood clots
Though many of these risks and side effects are rare, they are still something that you should be aware of if you want to get a full picture of what is possible during a TRT.
Steps to Take
If you want to ensure a safe and successful TRT process, then it is important that you follow the set of steps that we have compiled to set you up for success. Following these steps will ensure that you have everything you need in place and you will be ready to take on the process with knowledge and understanding.
Assess your health
The first step that you should take is an accurate assessment of your health. Good overall health puts you in the best possible position to increase your chance of success.
Talk with a professional
The next step is to talk with a professional. Preferably one with experience who can determine whether you’re a suitable candidate for TRT. Your doctor will tell you more about the treatment and whether your symptoms align with a low testosterone diagnosis. We use experienced TRT doctors for our patient consultations. They will take a blood sample to assess your T-levels and give you a range of treatment options and recommendations.
Be aware of the risks
As with any treatment, you should always try to educate yourself on the potential risks and side effects. Being aware of the potential risks will help you feel more prepared and may put your mind at ease
Maintain your health
The best thing that you can do for yourself is to maintain your health and keep in good shape. When you are in good health, you increase your chances of having a successful treatment without complications.
Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy Safe?
All factors considered testosterone replacement therapy is generally thought of as a very safe and effective treatment. If safety is your concern, then you should not be worried about using TRT. It has a high success rate and is very helpful for men with low testosterone. Balance My Hormones have helped thousands of men and women balance their hormones, check out some of our happy customer testimonials here.
Evidence Based Research
This article has been researched and written based on scientific evidence and fact sheets that have then been crossed checked by our team of doctors and subject matter experts.
References, sources and studies used alongside our own in-house research have been cited below, most of which contain external clickable links to reviewed scientific paper that contain date stamped evidence.
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About the Author: Mike Kocsis
Mike Kocsis has an MBA with a focus on healthcare administration and is an entrepreneur and medical case manager for Balance My Hormones Ltd which offers medical services in the UK and Europe. Mike has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare sector, much of that working with people who have hormone imbalances. Mike has appeared on podcasts and radio and is an expert speaker on the subject of hormone imbalance. He specialises in Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and has helped thousands of people suffering from hormone imbalances recover and regain control of their lives. You can follow him on LinkedIn and on the Balance My Hormones YouTube Channel.
Last update: November 28th, 2024
