Testosterone is an androgen found in both men and women. Testosterone is made in the testicles and ovaries, and also found in brain tissue. Testosterone is involved in mood, sex drive, vitality, fertility, and muscle mass. Testosterone levels drop about 1 percent each each after around age 40 and faster in those who are overweight. The structure of testosterone is similar to that of estrogen. As we get older, more testosterone is converted to estrogen than in youth. Although testosterone treatment can, in some people, improve the quality of their lives, it does carry serious risks. There are alternatives to testosterone treatment for improved mood and vitality; yoga comes to mind, and deeper sleep. Weight loss from around the belly reduces the risk of testosterone being converted to estrogen since fat cells have a tendency to convert testosterone to estrogen. Testosterone treatment may be appropriate for those who have very low levels of this hormone, but not for those who have a slightly low level.

Benefits of Testosterone Treatment Unknown
Little research exists demonstrating that testosterone treatment is both safe from the cardiovascular standpoint and effective to treat sexual dysfunction, reveal Mayo Clinic researchers in two new studies. In articles published in the January 2007 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayo Clinic physicians call for large studies to help clinicians and patients make informed decisions about when testosterone treatment should be prescribed. "One of the initial surprises is how limited the research evidence is regarding whether testosterone treatment is effective for sexual dysfunction while being safe from the cardiovascular disease standpoint," says Victor M. Montori, MD, MSc, lead researcher for Mayo Clinic's Knowledge and Encounter Research Unit, and an author of the two studies in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "There is no way for physicians to be certain when prescribing testosterone treatment that, on average, it's doing more good than harm."  Both studies involved review and meta-analysis of randomized trials to assess the effect of testosterone treatment on sexual dysfunction and cardiovascular events. Authors determined that no strong evidence exists showing testosterone treatment doesn't cause cardiovascular harm and results regarding its impact on sexual dysfunction are inconsistent. Despite the weak evidence supporting testosterone treatment efficacy, drug companies have successfully driven its sale, Dr. Montori says. Currently, physicians may be prescribing testosterone treatment to otherwise healthy men who report poor quality of life, limited sex drive and fatigue and may have somewhat low testosterone levels. These clinicians and their patients will be "thoroughly shocked" to discover the limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of testosterone treatment in sexual dysfunction and the limited data supporting its cardiovascular safety, Dr. Montori says.

Natural Ways to Increase Testosterone
There are two hormone supplements available over the counter in health food stores that could elevate low testosterone levels. These are Pregnenolone and DHEA. However, hormone use can be dangerous if high doses are used. See DHEA for more info on dangers of androgens.

Testosterone treatment
Testosterone treatment is an option with various forms of testosterone available by prescription. These include testosterone injections, testosterone cream, and testosterone gel. Testosterone treatment is sometimes recommended for age related hormone decline in middle aged and older men and women in order to boost libido and vitality, but the risk benefit ratio is still being determined. Testosterone treatment is also used in women who have had their ovaries removed.

Testosterone treatment for depression
A free testosterone concentration in the lowest quintile is associated with a higher prevalence of depression, and this association cannot be adequately explained by physical comorbidity. There may be a link between low free testosterone level and depression. It is possible that certain older men with depression may benefit from systematic screening of free testosterone concentration and testosterone treatment supplementation.

Testosterone treatment for Parkinson's Disease
Testosterone treatment has not been proven to be very helpful in elderly men with Parkinson's Disease and probable testosterone deficiency. Until more definitive studies are reported, doctors should be particularly cautious in treatment of low testosterone concentrations in men with Parkinson's Disease and borderline testosterone deficiency, and careful consideration should be given to the risks vs the benefits of testosterone treatment.

Testosterone treatment side effects
Testosterone treatment has many side effects. There is a potential for testosterone treatment to increase the risk of prostate cancer and other hormone sensitive cancers. Acne, deepening of voice, aggressiveness and menstrual changes in women are other potential side effects of testosterone treatment. Too much testosterone many not be healthy for brain cells. A cosmetic testosterone side effect is hair loss on the scalp.

Testosterone treatment and Sexual Desire
Treatment with a patch containing the hormone testosterone can increase sexual desire and activity in women who experience reduced sexual desire after surgical removal of the ovaries. However, one study did not find testosterone cream to be helpful in women who had chemotherapy for breast cancer.
 

Sex drive and testosterone cream
Testosterone cream does not appear to boost the sex drive of women cancer survivors suffering from low libido. Dr. Debra L. Barton of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, wanted to find out if the testosterone hormone cream could be helpful to female cancer survivors who normally experience a drop in sex drive, especially after treatment for breast or gynecologic cancers. The researchers randomized 150 women to receive the testosterone cream or a placebo cream for four weeks, after which they were switched to the opposite treatment for an additional four weeks. While women given testosterone showed an increase in blood levels of the hormone, their change in sex drive was the same whether they were on the real testosterone cream or the placebo. All studies in which testosterone cream was found to help increase libido were conducted in postmenopausal women taking estrogen. But because women in the current study were cancer survivors, estrogen supplementation was not an option, even though their levels of estrogen were low. It's likely, Barton and her colleagues conclude, that a woman must have adequate levels of estrogen in order for testosterone to be an effective treatment for low sex drive. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, May 2, 2007.

Testosterone treatment and woman
Testosterone may benefit women by increasing libido, however side effects do occur and hence the risk for testosterone treatment needs to be balanced with the benefits. Natural testosterone boosters are DHEA and pregnenolone. Low testosterone symptom in women with testosterone deficiency include lack of sexual desire.
 

Testosterone treatment summary
Approximately 30% of men 60-70 years of age and 70% of men 70-80 years of age have low free testosterone levels. Symptoms and findings of testosterone deficiency are similar to those associated with aging. They include loss of energy, decreased libido, depressed mood, erectile dysfunction, decreased muscle mass and strength, increased fat mass, frailty, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. Several small clinical trials indicate that testosterone treatment can improve many of these findings; however, the studies have not determined potential risks, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancer, or cardiovascular events. Thus, the benefit / risk ratio of testosterone treatment in aging men is not fully known.

Testosterone treatment questions
Q. I have been working out at the gym for the past 12 months and seen some good results. I recently had a testosterone test done by my Doctor which revealed my testosterone levels were low at 8.6. I was prescribed testogel 50 mg ( gel ) daily. Apart from the obvious testosterone treatment benefits of this product will it also enhance my performance at the gym and increase muscle mass. I have heard pure testosterone is better than any anabolic steroid ( which i would never touch.
   A. We are not proponents of testosterone treatment except in clear testosterone deficiency and only enough to raise the testosterone level to the low end of normal. Short term and long term side effects can occur with testosterone treatment and we prefer creatine and protein supplements for muscle growth.

Q. I just came across your web site while researching testosterone treatment substitutes. I am a 61 year old male who has had to be on testosterone replacement treatment for over ten years due to extremely low testosterone levels. In 2005 I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor which had to be removed. The consensus is that this is the cause of my low testosterone levels and not what I was told ten years ago. I started out with the monthly testosterone injections, went to the patch and finally the cream. I have accepted that I have to be on it for the rest of my life. My problem is that due to a change in circumstances, I can no longer afford medical insurance and thus cannot afford the treatment any more. It costs over $600 for a 3 month supply of Androgel pump (25 mg daily) hence the reason for my research. My question is: Is there a less expensive testosterone treatment substitute that I can purchase and, if so, where can I get it.
   A. Some people may find DHEA helpful, however discuss with your doctor.

Q. I am male of 26 years of age and have been diagnosed with low testosterone level (268 ng/dL as in blood
report for total testosterone). Due to low testosterone level I am not able to maintain my penis erection when sexually excited. My urologist informed me that there is a hormone testosterone treatment replacement therapy which will bring the testosterone level in my body high , but then it usually decreases the sperm count, and those couples who wish to conceive a child should not go for this option. However he did not say how the sperm count will come
down will come down with the testosterone treatment. Also I came across Tribulus Terrestris. Does it have
any side effects related to decrease in sperm count?
   A. Many people with difficulty with erections can benefit from natural supplements that do not negatively effect sperm count. Discuss with your doctor whether Passion Rx with yohimbe is appropriate for you. Other natural herbs that may have a positive influence include tribulus and tongkat ali.

 

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