What Are the Benefits of Testosterone Treatment?

Most men with sexual dysfunctions such as low T often keep quiet about them instead of seeking professional help to make necessary corrections or get remedies. Why? The stigmatization and awkwardness surrounding men’s sexual health almost make the discussions feel like taboos.

And when the discussions happen, it’s usually in hushed tones amongst trusted friends, but getting real treatment is habitually off the table. Therefore, over a month ago, we provided a shy guy’s guide to medically-approved testosterone support.

‍Today, we’ll look at the physical and mental benefits of testosterone treatment for men ahead of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month coming up in June.

‍What are the benefits of taking testosterone? What are the benefits of testosterone injections? Do the benefits from testosterone treatment go beyond the physical results you may be expecting? Are they short-term or long-term?

We’ll answer these questions, but before we get into all that, let’s provide context with a quick recap of what testosterone, low testosterone, and testosterone treatment are all about.

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a vital hormone responsible for the development of distinct male features, including muscle mass, bone density, sex drive, hair, deeper voices, and on a broader scope, improved quality of life and mood.

Your body produces testosterone primarily in your testicles. Women also produce testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands, although in significantly smaller amounts.

What is Low Testosterone?

As you get older, usually in your 30s, your testosterone levels may begin to naturally decline as the body progressively produces less of it.However, a time may come when testosterone levels may become too low and below what can be considered to be a good testosterone level for someone your age. This phenomenon is indicative of hypogonadism, a condition when the testicles are unable to produce sufficient testosterone.

‍There are two causes of hypogonadism:

• Primary hypogonadism: Also known as primary testicular failure. Primary hypogonadism occurs when the testicles suffer injuries. Or, as a consequence of problems in the testicles due to conditions like mumps orchitis, Klinefelter syndrome, hemochromatosis (excess iron in the blood), undescended testicles, infections, or chemotherapy.
• Secondary hypogonadism: Also known as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Secondary hypogonadism occurs due to abnormalities in the pituitary gland or hypothalamus in the brain. These abnormalities suppress the pituitary hormones and incapacitate them from signaling the testicles to produce testosterone. Extensively, the causes may include medications, aging, brain disorders, inflammatory disease, tumors, trauma, obesity, or medication.

In some men, hypogonadism is inherited.

Testosterone Test

You may be able to notice some symptoms of low testosterone, such as depressive mood, hair loss, decrease in muscle mass, and low energy. Expectedly, the potential benefits of testosterone treatment may include reversing these symptoms.

However, a blood test known as the serum testosterone test is the most assured way of knowing your testosterone level. Luteinizing hormone and blood prolactin levels are also good ways of diagnosing testosterone.

‍A normal T level typically falls between 300 – 1000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl), depending on age.Below is a quick guide for a normal T level across men of different ages:

• 500-550 ng/dl for men between 40 and 50 years of age
• 400-450 ng/dl for men between 50 and 60 years of age
• 300-350 ng/dl for men over 60 years of age

Testosterone Treatment

If your testosterone level does not fall within this range, there’s no cause for panic. The U.S. FDA approves testosterone treatment for men with low T caused by chemotherapy, genetic problems, brain abnormalities, and other problems.

‍The approved treatment formulations include testosterone injection, transdermal patch, topical gel, and buccal formulae. Others include pellets and supplements.

Interestingly, testosterone therapy is not a men-only treatment. Women sometimes ask that all-familiar question: what are the benefits of taking testosterone? Although controversial, women have been using testosterone to treat hot flashes, a benefit from testosterone for which women still take testosterone today. Unsurprisingly, since 1993 testosterone prescription has soared by over 500%.

‍The treatment is not as controversial for men, as various studies have and do continue to examine the potential benefits of testosterone for aging men.

Before proceeding with any testosterone treatment, you must first go for a testosterone diagnosis to confirm that your T level is below the expected range. If otherwise, you should not bother with testosterone treatment.

Now, back to the questions: What are the benefits of taking testosterone? What are the benefits of testosterone injections and other formulations?

Benefits of Testosterone

The benefits of testosterone treatment go way beyond taking testosterone to look buff. When considering the questions, “What are the benefits of testosterone injections?” or “What are the benefits of boosting testosterone?” you should not limit your expectations to building muscles.

As testosterone therapy is becoming more popular among cisgender men and transgender people, more research has been directed toward determining the risks and benefits of testosterone therapy.

There are numerous anecdotal and research indicators showing the effects of testosterone therapy. A publication by the University of California – San Francisco (UCSF) Health System elaborates on the effects of testosterone therapy across:

• Physical effects
• Emotional effects
• Sexual effects
• Reproductive effects

These effects translate to benefits for men suffering from low T and now undergoing testosterone therapy via suitable formulations from certified men’s healthcare experts at Craft Men's Clinic and other approved men’s care providers.

‍So, what are the benefits of taking testosterone? What are the benefits of testosterone injections and other formulations?

We’ll be looking at the long-term and short-term benefits across three themes: physiological, sexual, and mental benefits.

Physiological Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

1. Bone Mineral Density

Both younger and older men with low T are at greater risk—up to two times—of various undesirable bone conditions, including fractures, osteoporosis, osteopenia, and similar conditions.Testosterone increases osteoblastic activities, which increases osteocalcin levels and consequently increases bone density. Studies found that one of the long-term benefits of higher testosterone levels in men with low T is the increase in bone density, as long as the dose is sufficiently high.

Your bone will likely start to fortify within six months of taking testosterone treatment and reach its optimum level of density and strength within three years.

2. Improve Body Composition (Muscle Strength and Mass)

Here, think of muscle strength, muscle mass, and fat mass.

The decline in testosterone levels negatively affects the muscle cells, leading to decreased fat-free mass and lean muscle mass and a significant increase in body fat, hence, obesity.In pop culture, there are beliefs that testosterone, which is a steroidal hormone, helps build and develop lean muscle mass. However, extensive research is yet to be done to substantiate these claims conclusively. Yet, testosterone remains a popular remedy for improving body composition.

‍Irrespective of limitations in research, research published in the National Library of Medicine showed that testosterone increases lean body mass, physical performance, and grip strength in older men with low testosterone levels. By virtue of these benefits, testosterone also helps you burn belly fat.

3. Stabilize Blood Composition

Here, think of blood sugar levels and red blood cell count.

Red Blood Cell Count

One of the most dangerous impacts of low testosterone is the reduction of hemoglobin levels, thus reducing the level of red blood cells and anemia.

Research has shown that with regards to the question of “what are the benefits of testosterone?” we cannot ignore the substantial impact of testosterone in improving red blood cell count.

A 4-year trial involving 126 anemic men—62 of whom had no known cause of anemia—across 12 academic centers in the U.S. showed that at the end of the 12-month phase of the trial, 58.3% of the men were no longer anemic. Of those with no known cause, 54% experienced an increase in their hemoglobin level by 1.0 g/dL or more over the baseline.

Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels

Hypogonadal men suffer an increased risk of contracting type 2 diabetes as low testosterone compromises sensitivity to insulin and spikes blood sugar levels.Within 3 – 12 months of undergoing testosterone therapy, your body will become more sensitive to insulin and more able to absorb blood sugar.

Extended Benefits from Testosterone to the Cardiovascular System

Despite limitations in understanding the link between testosterone and the cardiovascular system, studies have shown that the impact of T on plasma proteins involved in fibrinolysis and coagulation helps reduce the elasticity of vascular tissue.

Additionally, some studies have observed a decrease in diastolic blood pressure within 3-9 months of commencing testosterone treatment.

Sexual Benefits from Testosterone Therapy

4. Increase Libido, Sexual Function, and Performance

Sexual dysfunctions are the primary symptoms that make most men start thinking that they have low testosterone. These dysfunctions usually cut across concerns that include libido, erectile dysfunction, sexual function, and sexual performance.

Without any doubt, there is a strong correlation between testosterone and sex.

A 2003 study found that as part of the benefits on the cardiovascular system, testosterone directly impacts the corpora cavernosa—a mass of erectile tissues—further increasing penile blood flow.

Furthermore, there’s an extensive assessment of 10 placebo-controlled trials of testosterone replacement therapy, with 8 trials administering testosterone for five months or less on men with various low testosterone levels and consequent sexual dysfunctions.

Despite using different testosterone formulations in the trials, the assessment noted reports of a significant increase in sexual interest, sleep and morning erections, libido, and sexual activity. These studies further prove the theories that for men with low testosterone levels and sexual dysfunctions, the benefits of testosterone are very substantial.

Mental Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

5. Improve Overall Cognition

Manufacturers sometimes tout testosterone treatments as being able to influence better focus, clarity, and overall cognitive functions. Some anecdotes support this claim, noting that the resultant benefit of testosterone in improving memory is sometimes a case of having one less problem to worry about after boosting T levels to improve sex life.

The results of randomized placebo-controlled trials of T therapy and cognitive function indicated that across different measures, there were varied degrees of improvement in working memory, spatial recognition, and verbal memory. Other studies also indicate an improvement in focus after testosterone treatment.

6. Better Mood and Quality of Life

For most men with low T, one of the easy-to-notice symptoms is depressive mood and, in some, the overall ill perception of things happening around them. This outlook is sometimes an effect of androgen-related sexual dysfunction and/or other comorbid factors that harm mental health.

The extensive assessment mentioned earlier also observed the relationship between testosterone treatment and quality of life in 9 clinical trials, 6 of which lasted 3 months or less.

Most of the studies examined testosterone effects on men with low T or chronic health conditions. The results across the randomized trials were positive, suggesting that testosterone significantly affects quality of life.

‍A 2014 study found that men with depressive symptoms had lower T levels than those without depressive symptoms. This observation draws an arguable direct relationship between depression and testosterone.

The study noted that since testosterone is one of the hormones that target the brain and which the body secretes naturally in response to social, psychological, and sexual factors, low T levels lead to pain, disturbances, low libido, discomfort, and other effects that consequently lead to depression.

‍The study concluded that as testosterone level increases, depressive symptoms decrease.

7. Energy Boost

An extended effect of testosterone treatment on men with low T is better sleep and rest. Consequently, men who are usually unapproachable or too reluctant to engage in any form of activity suddenly have bursts of energy and are more motivated to get up and engage in physical activities.

The science behind this focuses on the fact that when you suffer from hormone deficiency, the lipids in your body drop. Lipids are the core foundation of your cellular membrane, are able to signal electric impulses in the brain, and serve as a warehouse for storing energy.

‍Therefore, with increased T levels, lipids’ functionalities are more pronounced in motivating your brain and helping you store energy to carry out tasks.

‍Additionally, when testosterone helps stabilize your blood sugar or glucose, you automatically have more energy to work with.

Experience the Benefits of Testosterone Support With Craft Men's Clinic

Craft Men's Clinic is your one-stop men’s health facility for all your testosterone needs. We take pride in being a leading establishment in the sector with a network of certified and highly experienced doctors and pharmacies.

‍Our process involves three simple and easy steps:

• Sign up and schedule a lab appointment.
• Do your lab tests and discuss the results with a testosterone doctor online. For better accuracy, you may do lab tests on two different days to get your average T level.
• We craft testosterone support for you using the results of the diagnosis.

Click here or press the button below to book a call and get your testosterone levels back to where you want them.