Category Archives: Testosterone Information

An interview with Abraham Morgentaler, M.D. It could be said that testosterone is what makes men, men. It gives them their characteristic deep voices, large muscles, and facial and body hair, distinguishing them from women. It stimulates the growth of the genitals at puberty, plays a role in sperm production, fuels libido, and contributes to normal erections. It also fosters the production of red blood cells, boosts mood, and aids cognition. Over time, the testicular machinery that makes testosterone gradually becomes less effective, and testosterone levels start to fall, by about 1% a year, beginning in the 40s. As men get into their 50s, 60s, and beyond, they may start to have signs and symptoms of low testosterone such as lower sex drive and sense of vitality, erectile dysfunction, decreased energy, reduced muscle mass and bone density, and anemia. Taken together, these signs and symptoms are often called hypogonadism (hypo meaning low functioning and gonadism referring to the testicles). Researchers estimate that the condition affects anywhere from two to six million men in the United States. Yet it is an underdiagnosed problem, with only about 5% of those affected receiving treatment. Studies have shown that testosterone-replacement therapy may offer a … Read more »

If you had asked a doctor 10 years ago about bumping testosterone into the high-normal range to enhance one's physique, chances are slim you would have gotten a positive response. "Testosterone is bad for you," he would probably say. "It will shrink your grapes to raisins, give you liver disease and make you backhand your Grandma!" Enter 1996 and the legal availability of androstenedione (a-dione) and other prohormones. For the first time, "steroids" were legally available over the counter and testosterone became user-friendly. It could not only enhance strength and muscle size, but also improve body composition, bone density, libido, and immunocompetence. Some research even suggested T could make you smarter! Unfortunately, as supplement sales skyrocketed, so did marketing hyperbole. And so, too, did the bull about which company had the most potent prohormone concoction and how effective these "legal steroids" were. If you are tired of being confused by "diones", "diols" and "19-nor" something-or-others - and want to know the real benefits and risks associated with testosterone boosting - read on. The information presented may just clear some of that fog in your noggin'. Testosterone is a 19-carbon steroid hormone produced primarily by the Leydig cells of the testes … Read more »

Testosterone Basics The hormone testosterone plays an important role in mens health. For starters, it helps to maintain muscle mass, bone density, and sex drive. Testosterone production is at its highest in a mans early adulthood and drops a little bit each year thereafter. When the body doesnt produce the right amount of testosterone, the condition is called hypogonadism. Sometimes its called low T as well. Men diagnosed with hypogonadism can benefit from testosterone therapy. Therapy isnt usually recommended, however, if your testosterone levels fall within the normal range for your age. Theres no magic solution for boosting your testosterone, but some natural remedies may help. It doesnt get more natural than getting a good nights sleep. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationshowed that lack of sleep can greatly reduce a healthy young mans testosterone levels. That effect is clear after only one week of reduced sleep. Testosterone levels were particularly low between 2 and 10 p.m. on sleep-restricted days. Study participants also reported a decreased sense of wellbeing as their blood testosterone levels dropped. How much sleep your body needs depends on many factors. Most adults generally need between seven and nine hours per night … Read more »

The amount of the hormone naturally made by the male body starts to decrease around age 40. Lack of this key androgen in older men can cause health issues, including osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass and coordination (sarcopenia), and psychological symptoms. Doctors prescribe these drugs to treat these symptoms. Some men turn to testosterone to increase sex drive and treat erectile dysfunction (ED) difficulty getting erections. In fact, according to an article published by Harvard Health Publications, some doctors used it to treat ED before Pfizer released Viagra in 1998. Dr. Abraham Morgentaler is an advocate of using testosterone for treating men with sexual dysfunction, including ED. Its well established that testosterone by itself, for men with sexual dysfunction that includes erectile dysfunction, can improve erections in the majority of men who take it, he told Harvard. Morgentaler does admit that some men may require testosterone and Viagra, however, in order to have adequate erections. Testosterone can be administered in a skin patch, skin gel, cream form, by injection, a solution applied to the armpit, or a patch applied to the upper gum. A number of clinics offer testing for Low T and sell testosterone medications, and several drug companies … Read more »

The male reproductive tract has been identified as a target tissue for vitamin D, and previous data suggest an association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] with testosterone levels in men. We therefore aimed to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation influences testosterone levels in men. Healthy overweight men undergoing a weight reduction program who participated in a randomized controlled trial were analyzed for testosterone levels. The entire study included 200 nondiabetic subjects, of whom 165 participants (54 men) completed the trial. Participants received either 83 g (3,332 IU) vitamin D daily for 1 year (n = 31) or placebo (n =2 3). Initial 25(OH)D concentrations were in the deficiency range (< 50 nmol/l) and testosterone values were at the lower end of the reference range (9.09-55.28 nmol/l for males aged 20-49 years) in both groups. Mean circulating 25(OH)D concentrations increased significantly by 53.5 nmol/l in the vitamin D group, but remained almost constant in the placebo group. Compared to baseline values, a significant increase in total testosterone levels (from 10.7 3.9 nmol/l to 13.4 4.7 nmol/l; p < 0.001), bioactive testosterone (from 5.21 1.87 nmol/l to 6.25 2.01 nmol/l; p = 0.001), and free testosterone levels (from 0.222 0.080 nmol/l to 0.267 … Read more »

San Diego, CA-- A new testosterone nasal gel raises men's low testosterone levels to normal, with few side effects, according to the results of a phase 3 clinical trial to be presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 97th annual meeting in San Diego. Last May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the medication, now called Natesto, making it the only FDA-approved nasal testosterone replacement therapy, according to the manufacturer, Trimel Pharmaceuticals. "The unique delivery system makes this a convenient and easy-to-use, self-administered form of testosterone to treat adult males with hypogonadism [low testosterone]," said the study's lead investigator and a consultant to Trimel, Alan Rogol, MD, PhD, who is professor emeritus at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. "Also important is that intranasal testosterone minimizes the risk of unwanted secondary exposure of testosterone to women or children," Rogol said. Testosterone products applied to the skin carry the risk of transferring some of the drug to others who come into close contact. In contrast, the new formulation sends testosterone directly into the nostril. The product comes in a multiple-dose pump dispenser that administers a specified amount of testosterone gel (5.5 milligrams, or mg) inside each nostril. The phase 3 clinical trial … Read more »

Hailed as a "prescription for passion" by some and condemned as the "rage steroid" by others, testosterone is the most celebrated, feared and misunderstood of all hormones. Our culture lauds this substance's leading role in male virility and casts it as the villain in acts of violent crime. In truth, testosterone is neither miracle nor monster, but rather, a key player in the complex chemistry of human hormones. When balanced by other hormones, testosterone, also known as androgen, plays a lead role in the health and well-being of both sexes. These days, many menopausal women are turning to testosterone to provide what estrogen alone cannotrenewed sexual desire. Psychiatrist Dr. Susan Rako believes testosterone therapy is a major breakthrough for midlife women. Understanding that testosterone deficiency may be to blame for a loss of interest in sex in an otherwise happy relationship, she points out, could prevent much unnecessary anguish. Dr. Rako's book, "The Hormone of Desire: The Truth About Sexuality, Menopause and Testosterone," is one of a growing wave of publications heralding the importance of this hormone to women's health. Although androgen therapy is controversial, several small-scale studies and anecdotal evidence from women and clinicians suggest that individualized dosages provide … Read more »

How is it used? Testosterone testing is used to diagnose several conditions in men, women, girls, and boys. Examples of some of these conditions include: Typically, a test for total testosterone is used for diagnosis. The total testosterone test measures testosterone that is bound to proteins in the blood (e.g., albumin and sex-hormone binding globulin [SHBG]) as well as testosterone that is not bound. However, a test for free or bioavailable testosterone may be used if, for example, the level of SHBG in the blood is abnormal. ^ Back to top In boys with delayed or slowly progressing puberty, the test is often ordered with the FSH and LH tests. Although there are differences from individual to individual as to when puberty begins, it is generally by the age of 10 years. Some symptoms of delayed puberty may include: The test also can be ordered when a young boy seems to be undergoing a very early (precocious) puberty with obvious secondary sex characteristics. Causes of precocious puberty in boys, due to increased testosterone, include various tumors and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In men, the test may be ordered when infertility is suspected or when a man has a decreased sex drive … Read more »

Testosterone (2003) is a film adaption from James Robert Baker's novel Testosterone. The film is directed by David Moreton and stars David Sutcliffe, Antonio Sabato, Jr., and Jennifer Coolidge. Dean Seagrave (David Sutcliffe) is a thirty-something graphic novelist living in L.A., and though he's found personal happiness with his hot, Argentinian boyfriend, Pablo (Antonio Sabato, Jr.), he can't surmount his writers' block slump following his successful debut graphic novel, Teenage Speed Freak. His life begins to unravel when his editor, Luise (Coolidge), gives him an ultimatum, and Pablo, the sexy boyfriend, goes out for cigarettes one night and never comes back. Lonely, depressed, and at the end of his rope, he flies to Argentina in search of closure, but the characters he discovers there Pablo's secretive and controlling Mother (Snia Braga), Pablo's ex-lover Marcos (Leonardo Brzezicki), and Marcos' enigmatic sister Sofia (Celina Font) conspire to prevent him from reaching Pablo. Although the setting for the story of Testosterone starts in Los Angeles, California and then moves to Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Los Angeles scenes were filmed in Buenos Aires.[1] Read this article: Testosterone (film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia … Read more »

AXIRON is used to treat adult males who have low or no testosterone. AXIRON is not intended for use in women or anyone under 18 years of age. It is not known if AXIRON is safe and effective in children younger than 18 years old. Improper use of AXIRON may affect bone growth in children. AXIRON can transfer from your body to others. This can happen if other people come into contact with the area where the AXIRON was applied. Signs of puberty that are not expected (for example, pubic hair) have happened in young children who were accidentally exposed to testosterone through skin to skin contact with men using topical testosterone products like AXIRON. Women and children should avoid contact with the unwashed or unclothed area where AXIRON has been applied. If a woman or child makes contact with the 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 AXIRON from your body to others, follow these important instructions: Stop using AXIRON and call your healthcare provider right away if you see any signs and symptoms in a child or a … Read more »