How Long Can I Stay on Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Millions of American men use prescription testosterone injections or gel as forms of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to restore normal male hormone levels. Learn about how long you can stay on TRT and its potential risks.

How Long Can I Stay on Testosterone Replacement Therapy?

Millions of American men use prescription testosterone injections or gel as forms of Low Testosterone Treatment (often referred to as TRT therapy) to restore normal male hormone levels. The effects on quality of life occur within 3 to 4 weeks, but the maximum benefits take longer. Generally speaking, testosterone therapy is an ongoing treatment that continues for the long term, if not indefinitely. If you stop treatment, symptoms may return, as testosterone levels fall back below healthy levels. The ongoing bombardment of pharmaceutical marketing promises that treatment with low testosterone levels can make men feel more alert, energetic, mentally sharp and sexually functional.

For example, some older men who receive testosterone replacement therapy may face greater heart risks. Together, you and your provider can decide the best time to start therapy. The positive effects of testosterone on depressive symptoms are most likely to begin as soon as after 3 to 6 weeks, but it will most likely take 18 to 30 weeks for the patient to find significant improvement. The truth is that men with higher levels of testosterone live longer with less heart disease compared to men with lower levels of testosterone (and enjoy the extra years much more).

Why is treatment required every two weeks? When your body produced normal levels of testosterone, it did so 24 hours a day. Testosterone injections will last approximately 15 to 17 days and then there will be a dramatic drop. The 14-day treatment program prevents that drastic drop from occurring. If you're wondering if testosterone therapy might be right for you, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

For example, testosterone can increase hematocrit, the percentage of red blood cells in the bloodstream. Lee Gettler, from Northwestern University, tested the testosterone levels of 624 men at age 21 and overflowing. While small-scale studies show the acceptable benefits and risks of treating older men with lower than normal testosterone levels (46, 9), a verdict can only be reached with large scale studies that include 5000 men over 5 years of age (9), for whom funding is currently not available. This review attempts to determine, based on published studies, the temporal evolution of the effects induced by testosterone replacement therapy from its first manifestation until the maximum effects are reached.

If a man's testosterone seems to be below the normal range, there's a good chance that he'll end up taking TRT hormone supplements, often indefinitely. Numerous studies have documented that chronically low testosterone levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in men, increase the overall mortality rate, and decrease libido, muscle mass, and quality of life. People of all genders produce the hormone testosterone, but your body produces less if you have DFAB. This treatment uses testosterone to stimulate the changes in the body that society associates with masculinity, such as a deeper voice, more body hair and an increase in muscle mass.

The treating physician observes the changes experienced by the patient and rarely ceases to be fascinated by the multitude of functions that testosterone seems to have in the process of masculinization in the broadest sense.

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