No man wants to experience the symptoms and effects of low testosterone, but this is a problem that does impact on the lives of some men and for various reasons.

 

While only a small percentage of men suffer with low testosterone, the risk increases with age. So the older you get, the higher the chance your T levels are going to drop to the point where you experience some potentially life altering symptoms. Thankfully, if you do find yourself with lower than normal testosterone levels there are a good number of options at your disposal to get the problem under control and regain your quality of life as a man.

 

Low testosterone in men is medically called hypogonadism. A testosterone deficiency happens when your body is not making enough of this essential male sex hormone which is a powerful androgen that’s responsible for or contributes to so many aspects of your physical and mental health as an adult male.

 

Men have their highest natural levels of testosterone between 20 and 30 years of age, and it naturally starts to reduce from then on over the next several decades.

 

Even though you might suspect that your testosterone levels are below normal if you’re experiencing some symptoms, the only way to find out for sure is to visit your doctor. Many illnesses can cause most of the different effects that you’ll see with low testosterone, so it’s important not to jump to conclusions without a proper medical diagnosis.

 

Your doctor will ask about your medical history, lifestyle including diet and exercise habits, and of course ask about the symptoms you’re concerned about. These might be anything from low energy and depression, to low sex drive, weight gain or a combination of many different signs.

 

If your doctor decides a testosterone test is necessary, you’ll have a simple blood test where testosterone serum levels are determined. Because your T levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, and are usually at their highest early in the morning, your doctor might advise getting the test done early in the day for the most accurate result.

 

In a lot of cases your doctor will want two separate blood tests on different days to compare T levels across both. To be accurately diagnosed as having low testosterone levels, both of these tests will need to come back with low T levels clearly showing. If this happens, you’ll likely be having further blood tests for other hormones and other blood components that could impact your testosterone. This allows your doctor to build a fuller picture of exactly what’s going on with your T levels and what might be the underlying cause.

 

Low testosterone levels can bring about a whole range of different symptoms and signs. Some of these can seem very benign and you can easily overlook them or assume they’re being caused by some other health issue, or that you’re just tired and rundown. It’s when a combination of these symptoms start developing together that you might start suspecting that testosterone is the problem. Here are some of the most common symptoms associated with low testosterone:

 

Many men will experience some of these issues throughout adult life for different reasons, but when you start noticing multiple signs occurring at the same time, it’s time to see your doctor to ask about testosterone.

 

Once you’ve confirmed through your doctor that you do indeed have a low testosterone condition, it’s time to discuss treatment options. Again, your doctor will be the one to advise on the best treatment options according to any specific underlying causes of your testosterone deficiency. But it’s wise to be aware of the three main categories of treatment options for low T so they can be thoroughly discussed with your health professional.

 

The path you go down to treat your low testosterone will greatly depend on the cause; if it’s an underlying health issue then you may require medication, while hormonal dysfunction can make you a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy. In many cases, lifestyle adjustments will also be recommended to encourage healthy testosterone function.

 

TRT is a reliable and often used therapy for low testosterone in men when the cause of low T has been found to be basic hormone production. In other words, there aren’t underlying medical issues or disease causing the low testosterone. In cases where there is disease, TRT may still be used to relieve the serious symptoms of testosterone deficiency. While TRT will be effective at increasing circulating testosterone levels, it won’t necessarily fix all of your symptoms.

 

Types of TRT include topical or transdermal such as gels and patches, injections, oral patches and nasal gels. Men who are planning to have children soon will not be prescribed any TRT treatments. Topical testosterone products should also not come into contact with children and women, so must be used with care.

 

The three main types of medical treatments for low testosterone are testosterone replacement therapy which comes in various forms, and prescription medications in the categories of estrogen blockers and aromatase inhibitors, and testosterone boosting exercises.

 

Although there are different forms of direct testosterone treatment, they all have the same goal and that is to provide a direct source of the testosterone hormone into the body. This can be done by using a patch that slow releases testosterone through the skin, or gels and pellets that act in a similar way. These transdermal patches and gels are a popular option because they’re easy to use provide a stable release of testosterone. 

 

Another option is testosterone injections which make use of synthetic testosterone in a slow release intramuscular injection form which is long acting so you do not require very frequent injections – usually just once every week. Testosterone treatment is generally not used in age related low testosterone, but mainly for men suffering hypogonadism which is being caused by certain disorders concerning the pituitary gland, testicles or hypothalamus with the main goal of treating the severe symptoms of low T.

 

Besides medications which might be prescribed to treat an underlying health condition, other more specific medications for low testosterone are an option. These are not often prescribed because of the risk of side effects and the relatively low benefit they deliver. The main categories of medications include aromatase inhibitors (Arimidex/Aromasin) and selective estrogen receptor modulators (Clomid/Nolvadex).

 

All men have small amounts of estrogen naturally produced in the body, and that is critical for normal testosterone to function. By taking an estrogen blocker like Clomid, males will be able to have an increased amount of testosterone production stimulated in the brain as the medication stops estrogen from interacting with the pituitary gland. This allows more luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to be produced, leading to higher testosterone production.

 

Arimidex (Anastrozole)

Aromatase inhibitors (AI) drugs stop the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, allowing a higher level of testosterone to remain in circulation. These medications stop the aromatase enzyme from undertaking this hormone conversion and thus limit the level of estrogen present; the higher the level of estrogen in a male, the lower testosterone will be.

 

Aromatase inhibitors are mostly useful in men who have low testosterone due to age, or due to being overweight. Arimidex is a common AI drug used for this purpose, however its official medical use is to treat breast cancer in women so your doctor would need to prescribe it off label to be used for treating low testosterone.

 

These drugs, when used to treat the symptoms of low T, are being used off label as most were originally developed to treat serious medical conditions in women like breast cancer. These estrogen blocker or estrogen modulator medications can help address any rise in estrogen in males while testosterone is deficient; therefore helping restore the hormonal balance. Erectile dysfunction and infertility are two circumstances where testosterone deficient men might be prescribed these types of medications.

 

We know that exercise has an all encompassing benefit for health. So will it help with your low testosterone? It can certainly assist with reducing some of the symptoms, but more than that it’s known that exercise does help stimulate testosterone production. Sedentary men are likely to have lower testosterone levels, as well as be overweight.

 

Weight training – Any sort of high intensity resistance training is essential so include bench press and general weight lifting into your routine a few times weekly. Weight lifting is still considered the best type of exercise to boost testosterone, so ensure you make it a priority.

Interval training – Interval training involves interchanging high intensity exercise with lower intensity routines. For your high intensity portion you could combine weights or fast aerobic activity for five minutes, followed by a minute or two of a slow jog or walk. Repeat this or 30 minutes and you have a top quality workout for testosterone health.

Hiking – Don’t want to hit the gym or do structured exercise? Take a hike then, and include some uphill portions to get the blood pumping and the leg muscles working. An intense 30-60 minute hike a few times per week is going to provide a real testosterone and health boost.

Push-ups – Making use of important large joints and muscles, push ups are a sure fire testosterone boosting exercise you can fit into even the busiest of schedules. Make sure your hands are kept at shoulder width, and lower yourself as far as possible. If you’re rusty on push-ups it will take some time to get down low, but keep at it and go a little further each time.

Pull-ups – Again, you’re making use of big joints and muscles which is where the greatest testosterone benefit is. Pull ups can be done almost anywhere including at home. 4 sets of 8 reps with a couple of minutes rest in between will give you a super workout any time of day with minimal equipment.

Any exercise is good, but higher intensity exercise provides the greatest benefit.

 

The different methods of TRT simple provide various ways of physically getting the testosterone into your body and bloodstream. All have their positive and negative aspects. The main forms of TRT products are:

 

Topical / Gels (Androgel and Testim)

Topical gel options provide a non-invasive and pain free way of obtaining testosterone. They are simply applied to the skin like any cream and it is then absorbed through the skin. AndroGel and Testim are common brand names. This method allows a slow and stable release of testosterone, with the downsides being the risk of the gel being transferred to other people who come into contact with it, and this must be avoided.

 

Injections (Depo-Testosterone)

Many men may be more hesitant about injectable forms of TRT, but injections usually come with the big benefit of only being required once every few months. Injections are either put into the muscle or under the skin. The downside of injectable TRT is less control over the release of testosterone and this results in changing levels, possibly bringing about side effects of mood swings and energy dips.

 

Patches (Androderm)

Patches provide another non-invasive and do it yourself TRT option similar to gels. The transdermal patch slow releases testosterone through the skin. Itching and irritation on the patch site can be potential side effects.

 

Oral tablets

Tablets are easy to take but this is rarely an option that is prescribed by doctors for low testosterone treatment. The main reason is that they pose certain risk to the liver, especially when used for long periods of time.

 

Pellets

Pellets are implanted just under the skin and allow the gradual release of testosterone. Usually the hormone is released over a period of several months. Many people are not comfortable with having a pellet placed under the skin, although the treatment itself is highly convenient once the minor implant procedure has been done.

 

 

Treating Low T – Treating low testosterone is the intended use of TRT. TRT is a common and effective treatment for men who suffer with hypogonadism that comes with symptoms. The TRT will relieve these symptoms which will include increasing energy and the libido, improving mood and focus, building muscle and losing body fat.

Remedying Erectile Dysfunction – Men with low testosterone who have erectile dysfunction can benefit from TRT, but many men with ED are not experiencing the condition due to low T, but rather due to other health issues. In those cases, TRT is unlikely to be of any benefit. The TRT can still contribute to restoring a man’s sex drive.

TRT can come with risk of side effects, ranging from mild up to more serious but uncommon adverse effects. Your doctor will do a full run down of your medical history and current health to work out your side effect risk profile, and whether it’s safe for you to undertake TRT.

 

The side effects of TRT can be considered in two categories: one relates to the method itself that you’re using to obtain the testosterone and any local effects it might cause. Secondly are the potential negative reactions or impacts of the testosterone itself.

 

TRT may increase the risk of infertility and cause a shrinkage of the testicles.

Increased risk of oily skin and acne can occur.

When TRT treatment stops, symptoms can return as your body’s ability to make testosterone has been suppressed.

 

Men with certain medical conditions should not take TRT. This includes anyone with prostate or breast cancer, severe sleep apnea, heart failure and urinary tract conditions. Your doctor will take a complete medical history to determine whether TRT is safe for you.

 

Since taking testosterone is in effect the same as taking anabolic steroids, just at a much lower dose, you may be at risk of experiencing the side effects that come with increased androgenic activity and this can include acne, enlargement of the breast tissue and fluid retention. If these effects do occur, your doctor may adjust the TRT dosage.

 

Debate still rages among medical experts as to which medication or treatment is the best option for low testosterone. Testosterone replacement is still the most common form of medical treatment for low T. But the best treatment for you personally is the one that addresses both the cause and severity of your condition.

 

The best booster for you might be different to the best one for the next guy. It heavily depends on the cause of your low T and what symptoms you’re getting. The best test booster when it comes to natural options is likely to include a combination of zinc and magnesium, while maintaining an optimal level of vitamin D intake. This can be done either through dietary changes, supplements, or both.

 

Home remedies for testosterone are easy to implement and mostly involve basic lifestyle changes, which will also improve all other aspects of your health. You should exercise more often (daily is ideal), eat mostly vegetables and whole-grains, plus legumes and fish while keeping red meat to a few times per week only.

 

Get enough sleep every night and try and keep your stress levels under control – all these simple home remedies will have a positive impact on testosterone.

 

TRT is used to treat hypogonadism, but is also useful in treating low testosterone that is being caused by other health conditions like autoimmune conditions, genetic disorders, and cancer radiation therapy.

 

TRT comes in multiple formats. You can choose injections if you prefer to have your treatment just a few times annually, or if you prefer to avoid needles you have the option of applying gels or patches yourself at home. All TRT options come with their own advantages and disadvantages and none are considered to be the best for every single guy – each individual will have different preferences.

 

There may be no one best natural supplement for low T, but often a combination of multiple ingredients working together. Some of the most powerful natural supplements include Fenugreek and Ashwagandha, both of which have a notable history of being used in traditional medicine and both can potentially lead to improved testosterone levels. Other must-have natural supplements are zinc and magnesium, especially if you feel you are not getting enough of these testosterone boosting minerals in your diet.

 

There are plenty of options to look at when you need to boost your testosterone levels and keep them healthy long term. Most of us would love to boost testosterone naturally, without the risk of side effects and preferably without the inconvenience and cost of medical therapies.

  

There are some excellent testosterone booster supplements available, and many questionable ones. The key is to use one where the ingredients are clearly stated and where you know each ingredient is going to play a role in enhancing testosterone and/or addressing the symptoms of low testosterone. Combined with regular exercise that includes resistance training, a good sleep schedule, and the inclusion of some key foods in the diet, you can tackle low testosterone head on naturally.

 

If all else fails, or if your doctor strictly recommends it, TRT may be the only option for some men in certain situations.