Category Archives: Testosterone Information

Researchers are beginning to deeply understand the effects that declining testosterone levels have on men as they age, but are less informed regarding how natural life experiences such as fatherhood impact hormone balance and testosterone concentrations. It is well-understood that women experience significant changes in hormone levels and hormone balance dependent not only upon their age, pregnancy status, and menstrual cycle but as a result of motherhood itself. Men Experience Hormonal Changes During Their Partner's Pregnancy As we delve deeper into the biological mechanisms of testosterone production, we are beginning to learn that male testosterone levels can be sensitive to these life changes in a similar manner as women experience hormonal change. For example, it is well-known that pregnant women are likely to experience weight gain, cravings, and mood instability, but men also experience specific psychological and physiological changes as a result of the decline in testosterone directly correlated with impending fatherhood. In a study conducted by Dr. Robin Edelstein and associates at the University of Michigan, men were swabbed to analyze testosterone levels at specific points during their significant other's pregnancy. What researchers discovered was that as the birth of the child drew closer, it was significantly correlated with … Read more »

Testicular Cancer Survivors are at Risk for Low Testosterone Men who have been successfully treated for testicular cancer are at an increased danger of suffering from hypogonadism (low testosterone levels, or “Low-T”). This is the conclusion of The Platinum Study conducted by the University of Indiana Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. 491 survivors of testicular cancer treatments participated in the survey. 38% of these men were diagnosed with low testosterone levels or were undergoing testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). These findings were reported at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, Illinois. According to Mohammad Issam Abu Zaid from the Indiana University School of Medicine, specific categories of patients were at higher risk of low testosterone: men who were obese and men who were older. Low-T affected 51.6% of men older than fifty years or older, as opposed to 29.7% of men in the 18-39 age range. For overweight or obese patients, the Low-T numbers were 41.9% for the overweight and 44.3% for the fat versus 25.6% of men with an average weight. Low testosterone is a condition that can result in a broad range of health afflictions. This is reflected in the additional … Read more »

The amygdala is the center of emotional activity in the brain, but recent studies have shown that it's powered by motivation rather than the emotions themselves. This conclusion came from research into the hormone testosterone. Testosterone ramps up amygdala activity when we approach a socially dangerous situation and lessens the activity when these situations are avoided. It was a known fact that the amygdala reaction to images of angry faces was more intense in someone who had received testosterone. This new study shows that this only happens when people approach angry faces and not when they avoid them. Testosterone or Placebo In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 54 young, healthy women were given 0.5 mg of testosterone (or a placebo) four hours before a brain scan. This amount is a far lower dose than used for a sex change treatment, or as a supplement for athletes, but it is enough to have a measurable effect on brain activity. Happy or Angry While in the MRI-scanner, the participants were shown photos of happy and angry faces and were asked to give a sign of rejection (avoiding) or approach (moving towards). People usually have less of a problem approaching someone who looks friendly … Read more »

Unless you have been imitating Rip Van Winkle for several years, you are aware that Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has exploded in the last decade. However, there have been very few studies that have examined the long-term effects of taking testosterone on cardiovascular health and other vital functions concerning the health effects on men receiving the treatment. But that has changed. Recently, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) report the results of Testosterone's Effects on Atherosclerosis Progression in Aging Men (TEAAM) trial in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The three-year study finds that testosterone administration had no effect on the progression of hardening of the arteries in older men with low to low-normal testosterone levels and did not significantly improve sexual function or health-related quality of life. Shehzad Basaria, M.B.B.S., MD, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues studied the effect of testosterone administration on atherosclerosis progression in older men. Three hundred eight men aged 60 years or older (patients had a mean age of 67.6 years), with low or low-normal testosterone levels, volunteered and were treated with up to 7.5 g of 1 percent testosterone (156 men) or placebo gel packets (152 men) daily … Read more »

Prostate cancer is the most common tumor in men. The American Cancer Society estimates that 220,800 men will be diagnosed with the disease in 2015. According to standard medical theory, prostate cancer typically turns deadly after tumors stop responding to drugs that block the production of testosterone and its receptors. Therefore, for years, urologists have treated prostate cancer by decimating a man's testosterone levels, a treatment that is formally known as androgen deprivation therapy. Medical school taught that this was “The Holy Grail” of stopping prostate cancer dead in its tracks. Standard treatment for prostate cancer is chemical castration, drugs that cut the body’s production of testosterone and related hormones. The fact that this treatment often resulted in hellish side effects was either ignored or rationalized by the depressing mantra of “at least he's still alive.” So on and on it went. Men were forced to choose between death by the spread of cancer or losing their manhood and all of the horrifying consequences that went with that loss: sexual dysfunction/impotence, hot flashes, joint pain, loss of muscle tone and strength, increased fatigue and a sense of hopeless depression. However, the Times are Changing A new study shows that the … Read more »

If you are considering giving injectable testosterone a try, you need to know as much as possible before plunging in and taking that first step. Keep reading. This brief article will provide you with the basics: a look at the science as to how testosterone works, the difference between Cypionate and Enanthate, recommended dosages, and potential side effects. WARNING: NOTHING YOU READ HERE WILL SUBSTITUTE FOR THE ADVICE AND SUPERVISION OF YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER. NEVER TRY EXPERIMENTING WITH TESTOSTERONE ON YOUR OWN. MAKE SURE YOU ARE CONTINUALLY MONITORED BY BLOOD TESTS WHILE YOU ARE UNDERGOING TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (TRT), AND BE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS OF SIDE EFFECTS. SOME OF THESE SIDE EFFECTS CAN BE VERY SERIOUS. CAVEAT EMPTOR! Testosterone Esters Much of the testosterone prescribed for testosterone replacement therapy is in the form of testosterone "esters." An ester is merely a name for a chemical compound that forms from a reaction between a carboxylic acid and alcohol. A simple chemical diagram of this result is shown below in Figure A. Figure B shows the chemical structure of free testosterone (chemical formula C19H28O2) as well as two different esters of testosterone (testosterone cypionate and testosterone enanthate). … Read more »

HAMILTON, ON (Aug. 26, 2014) – If you are using methadone to treat opioid addiction, be aware that your natural levels of testosterone may be lowered, according to a recent study by McMaster University. The good news? If you're a woman, methadone treatment won't affect you. The bad news? If you're a man, chances are much higher that it will. In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the researchers say this must be addressed and may result in changes in addiction treatment. The study found that men treated with methadone, used for opioid addiction treatment, have significantly suppressed testosterone levels of about a quarter of the testosterone of men not using opioids. In women using methadone for the same treatment, testosterone levels were insignificantly impacted, even when menstruating. Low testosterone in men has been associated with reduced quality of life as well as erectile dysfunction, fatigue, mood disturbances and depression, weak muscles, osteoporosis, increased joint pain and other problems. "We expect that treating testosterone deficiency will improve outcomes of methadone treatment for patients, including treatment response and retention," said Dr. Zena Samaan, principal investigator of the study. "Doctors should also ensure they are prescribing the lowest dose of … Read more »

AndroGel can transfer from your body to others. This can happen if other people come into contact with the area where AndroGel was applied. Signs of puberty that are not expected have happened in young children who were accidentally exposed to testosterone through skin-to-skin contact with men using topical testosterone products like AndroGel. Women and children should avoid contact with the unwashed or unclothed area where AndroGel has been applied. If a woman or child makes contact with the AndroGel application area, the contact area on the woman or child should be washed well with soap and water right away. To lower the risk of transfer of AndroGel 1.62%, you should apply it only to your shoulders and upper arms, areas that will be covered by a short-sleeve T-shirt. Do not use AndroGel 1.62% to any other parts of your body, such as your stomach area (abdomen), penis, scrotum, chest, armpits (axillae), or knees. Wash your hands right away with soap and water after applying. After the gel has dried, cover the application area with clothing until you have washed the application area well or have showered. If you expect another person to have skin-to-skin contact with your shoulders or … Read more »