Testosterone: What It Is and How It Affects Your Health

What Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Some studies have found a link between TRT and higher blood pressure, while others have seen no effect or a link to lowered blood pressure. The effect on your blood pressure may depend on your own health, whether you have any heart disease or high blood pressure, and how do females produce testosterone (kleineitaliaansecampings.nl) much testosterone you take. You may feel more energetic, less depressed, and have a higher sex drive. You might also notice you gain more muscle mass and lose body fat.

As mentioned above, one of the most common causes of high testosterone levels is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) [2]. Testosterone therapy is typically only used for those living with hypogonadism, a condition where the body doesn’t produce enough testosterone. It’s rare for men to naturally have high testosterone, however. If they do, it’s usually due to testicular tumors or adrenal gland conditions.

It’s no coincidence that boys start to look like men, at the time of puberty, when their testosterone levels start to rise. Testosterone is also responsible for a healthy libido in both men and women. Hormones are chemical vehicles that travel throughout the body, delivering messages to enact changes that are necessary for proper function. Testosterone is a hormone that is most closely tied to your sex drive, your fertility, your body’s ability to store and burn fat, red blood cell production, and even your emotions and mood.

From there, the testosterone enters your bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body to aid in the aforementioned functions. There is currently no scientific consensus about the exact cutoffs for healthy testosterone levels. The American Urological Association defines low testosterone as a level of total testosterone below 300 ng/mL. However, there is a lot of variability in the results obtained in different laboratories, because small differences in testing technique can have a significant impact on the results. The best advice is to use the reference ranges provided by your lab, in order to determine whether your levels are low or high for your age and sex.

There are also other androgens, including androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which are found at lower levels and are not as strong as testosterone. If these symptoms sound familiar, schedule an appointment at Advanced Urology to find out if it could be a hormonal imbalance. Every man’s testosterone levels are different, so there’s no set benchmark used to diagnose testosterone deficiency. Low testosterone is much more common than high testosterone. In fact, almost 40% of men over age 45 are living with low testosterone and the symptoms it causes. If you’ve noticed a low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, or changes in body composition, it could be a sign of low testosterone. High testosterone can be caused by taking steroids or using testosterone replacement therapy without a doctor’s supervision.

As a result, many men and women enjoy a renewed sense of well-being, improved sexual drive, more energy, improved sleep and even greater bone density. Testosterone injection is used in men and boys to treat conditions caused by a lack of this hormone, such as delayed puberty or growth. It is only recommended for males with a known medical condition, such as a genetic disorder, problem with certain brain structures (called the hypothalamus and pituitary) or previous chemotherapy. The hypothalamus initiates the release of GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone). This hormone triggers the pituitary gland to initiate the release of luteinizing hormone (LH). LH travels to the gonads and initiates the production and release of testosterone hormone. Once the testosterone hormone is produced in the blood, it reduces the production of the GnRH hormone.

Hormones are chemicals that your body makes to control a range of essential functions, from sleep cycles and mood to sex drive and fertility. Humans have more than 50 different hormones;  testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for male characteristics. If you cannot take TRT or get unwanted side effects, speak to your doctor about other testosterone treatment options. Lifestyle changes can improve testosterone levels with the help of natural testosterone boosters, or you may be able to treat the cause of the problem. The signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency usually only affect males who were assigned that gender at birth. In medical terms, low testosterone is called male hypogonadism.

It’s natural for testosterone levels to vary depending on your age and overall health. If they’re consistently high or low, you may experience unpleasant symptoms worth discussing with your provider. In female adults, high levels of testosterone may be a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This condition is very common — up to 15% of females of reproductive age have it.

Treatment can lead to unwanted side effects, so it can be crucial to balance the expected benefits of testosterone supplementation with the risks of the treatment. Often, low testosterone levels come without harmful physical effects and do not require treatment. A number of prohormone supplements are marketed at men to treat low testosterone levels. Such supplements can include dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and the herbal product Tribulus terrestris. However, a bill was passed in 2014 banning designer anabolic steroids. When levels of testosterone drop below levels that are healthy, they can lead to conditions like hypogonadism or infertility. There are, however, sources from which people with low testosterone can boost their levels.