Testosterone Replacement

What is testosterone?

Testosterone is a sex hormone made predominantly in the testicles that helps men develop sexually and physically. Hormones are chemicals that carry messages in your bloodstream to the rest of your body to carry out a specific function.

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What does testosterone do in your body?

Testosterone regulates cholesterol, blood sugar, and fat levels. Testosterone also helps to keep bones strong, helps build muscle, boosts sex drive, promotes body and facial hair growth, and can affect sperm count.

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How does the body make testosterone?

First, the hypothalamus in the brain sends a message to the pituitary gland, which then sends a message to the testicles to produce testosterone. After that, a feedback loop closely regulates the amount of testosterone in the bloodstream. When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends a message to the pituitary gland to lower testosterone production. 

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What causes low testosterone levels?

The most common cause is age. As men age, testosterone production will decrease and they will begin showing symptoms of low testosterone (Low T). Once a man turns 30, the body's testosterone production decreases by 1-2% per year thereafter. It is estimated that 4-5 million men in the U.S have low testosterone levels with the majority of men being over the age of 45. Many medications men take for High Blood Pressure, Acid Reflux, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, and more will contribute to the reduction of testosterone levels. While these medications should not be stopped, supplementing the correct testosterone treatment plan can improve testosterone levels dramatically.

 

Low Testosterone Symptoms:

• Lack of energy

• Weight gain

• Low libido/low sex drive

• Lack of motivation

• Mood changes

• Erectile dysfunction

• Poor concentration

• Brain fog

• Weakened strength

• Sleep apnea

• Hair loss

• Muscle loss

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What is the treatment for low testosterone?

Men are suffering from low testosterone in record numbers. Low testosterone occurs when levels fall below the recommended range. The range is very broad, 347-1100. The recommended range for a man's testosterone level is between 700 and 900. While many men who have testosterone levels above 347 with the above mentioned symptoms, they are still candidates for medically supervised testosterone treatment plans.

 

Different treatment options include:

• Oral medication: Most oral medications to increase testosterone are a waste of time and money. Tests have shown that less than 1% of the testosterone is absorbed by the gut. While this popular over-the-counter solution exists, this form of treatment will fail for 99% of patients.

• Under arm: Used like a roll-on deodorant, this method has been proven to be the second least effective method of increasing testosterone levels in a patient.

• Injections: This is the most effective form of testosterone treatment there is. The patient is given injections, ranging in frequency and self-administered at home utilizing our non-invasive insulin needle approach. This protocol serves to carry the most stable serum levels and generally resolves all low testosterone symptoms for most patients.

• Pellets: A pellet(s) is implanted into the patient's buttock via an in-office surgical procedure. This treatment method is the most expensive and needs to be re-implanted every 90 days in which the same amount of testosterone gets absorbed into the bloodstream. A large amount of the testosterone dose is wasted and not used by the body. This type of treatment allows minimal room for adjustment in dosing and customization since it lasts in the body for 90 days. With this being said, this method is not recommended for most patients.

• Cream: This method is considered to be the least invasive testosterone treatment available. With this option, a compounded testosterone cream is applied twice daily to the groin area. With the right program design, up to 90% of the testosterone is absorbed by the body. This  option is a viable alternative for older patients.

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Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) 

• Increased energy

• Reduce body fat

• Increased libido/sex drive

• Increased motivation

• Improved mood

• Improved concentrate

• Increased strength

• Increased muscle mass

• Increased bone density

• Linked to reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, & prostate cancer

• Reduction in sleep apnea

• Improved erections

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When you can expect to see results:

• Weeks 2-4: Psychological improvements

• Weeks 4-16: Physical & sexual improvement

• Weeks 6-12: Results in consistency & well-being

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Are testosterone treatments dangerous?

The American Medical Association (AMA) has not documented one case of a heart attack or stroke attributed to testosterone treatment. There are actually more cases of heart attack and stroke attributed to low testosterone levels. Any low testosterone treatment plan should be accompanied by regular blood testing to ensure safe levels of testosterone and to check for blood clotting.

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