How can I diagnose and treat low testosterone?

If you’ve been thinking about getting tested to see if you may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy, here are some questions and answers regarding Low Testosterone Treatment and what to expect in starting the process of hormone replacement therapy.The best method to determine if you have low testosterone is to get a comprehensive health assessment from a licensed and experienced physician as well as to take a blood test to check your testosterone and other hormone levels.  After a comprehensive health evaluation which includes going over past medical history, signs and symptoms of low testosterone and blood tests, the doctor can determine whether TRT may be a viable option for a patient and discuss options, risk, benefits and what steps are needed to begin therapy.[caption id="attachment_1734" align="alignnone" width="232"]

Diagnose and Treat Low Testosterone with an experienced TRT physician.[/caption]

What is low testosterone?

Also known as male hypogonadism, Low T is a medical condition where the testes are not producing enough testosterone for the male. Testosterone is the male sex hormone that’s made by the testes.  It is an extremely important sex hormone which regulates development of masculine features such as face and body hair, developing deeper voices, increased muscle mass and strength as well as helps regulate many internal functions such as red blood cell development, sperm production, sleep regulation, mood, sexual features, bone density and energy levels.

Is low testosterone common in men?

There are many different opinions regarding just how common low T is in men, but data does suggest that overall testosterone levels in men will vary wildly across-the-board. Men between the ages of 18 and 25 will have extremely high testosterone levels compare to an aging population of men between the ages of 65 and 80 years of age for example.  We do know that low testosterone is a condition much more common in diabetics or for men who are overweight.  In one clinical study over 30% of overweight men had testosterone deficiency as compared to 6.4% of men tested who had ideal body weight. As men age, the levels of testosterone in their body will gradually decline.This natural drop in hormone levels begins between the ages of 25 and 30 for most men and will continue at a rate of between one and 2% annually. So, it’s no surprise that low t will affect nearly 40% of men aged 45 or higher.  Typical testosterone levels have historically been between 250 to 1100 ng/dL for serum or total testosterone levels, but depending on the laboratory reference range, you may see different ranges and percentiles. Testosterone levels are always higher in the morning and will be affected throughout the course of the day by lifestyle choices, medication, age, illness, stress, caffeine, or cigarette consumption and more. Proper nutrition and lifestyle choices including exercise Will help optimize natural testosterone production.

What can cause low testosterone?

Naturally a man’s testosterone levels will start to decrease out of a rate of approximately 1 to 2% a year beginning from the male’s mid-20s to early 30s.Some factors which may be a potential reason/ cause as to why a male may have low T could include:

• Alcohol abuse
• Drug use
• Past steroid use
• Liver disease
• Thyroid disorders
• Diabetes
• HIV/AIDS
• Kidney disorders/failure
• Trauma or injury
• TBI
• Infection
• Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation
• Certain metabolic disorders such as hemochromatosis
• Pituitary disorders
• Tumors
• Hormone disorders (excessive estradiol)
• Sleep apnea
• Obesity
• Normal aging

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blood work needed to start testosterone and hormone replacement[/caption]

What are some of the signs and symptoms of low testosterone?

Having low t may affect patients differently.  There are many possible signs and symptoms. Taking the A.D.A.M. test which stands for Androgen deficiency in aging males, can give some insight as to the potential likelihood a man has sub optimal hormone levels. Its important to speak to a doctor regarding how to get tested for low testosterone. Some of the potential signs of low T include but are not limited to some of the following:

• Fatigue
• Irritability and moodiness
• Increased body fat
• Decreased muscle strength and mass
• Depression
• Infertility
• Anemia
• Hair loss
• Gynecomastia
• Decreased sense of confidence and well-being
• Decreased libido
• ED/PE
• Brain fog, trouble with concentration in memory
• Decreased performance and productivity at work

How do you diagnose low testosterone?

It’s easy to diagnose a patient who may be suffering from male andropause, or low testosterone.  By taking a simple blood test and measuring the levels of serum or total testosterone as well as free testosterone, a physician may be able to determine potential cause and address any underlying factors that may be contributing to the hormone deficiency.  Doctors typically prefer to check hormone levels in the morning where they are typically the highest.[caption id="attachment_1736" align="alignnone" width="300"]

Build a better physique and tone muscles on TRT[/caption]

How do you treat low testosterone?

Improvement to diet, increased exercise, supplementation of vitamin D and zinc as well as getting more sleep and reducing stress me all have positive impacts on testosterone production but may not be enough to increase testosterone levels to their optimum values. Testosterone replacement therapy is a beneficial option for many men and can be administered in multiple ways.IM, otherwise known as intramuscular injections of testosterone are fairly common. Testosterone cypionate is the most common injectable form of testosterone and is usually administered on either a weekly or biweekly schedule due to the half-life of the medication.Testosterone creams or gels which may be applied daily or twice daily and allow the medication to absorbed through the skin into the bloodstream.Patches which are like the gels in how the testosterone is absorbed into the body transdermally.Pellets which are implanted underneath the skin every few months and are designed to release medication into the bloodstream slowly over time as the pellet dissolves.

What are the benefits of TRT?

There are many potential benefits for men on testosterone replacement therapy which may include:

• Weight loss
• Decreasing unwanted body fat particularly around the midsection
• Increased lean muscle mass
• Increased strength and endurance
• Improved energy and less fatigue
• Increased self-confidence, well-being and improved mood
• Increased libido
• Improved performance and drive
• Increased mental sharpness
• Improved bone mineral density
• Improved quality of life

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Experienced physicians can help test, diagnose and treat Low T and ED[/caption]

What are the possible side effects of testosterone therapy?

Like all medications, testosterone may have some side effects for certain patients.Some men could potentially experience:

• increased acne
• Fluid retention
• Testicular atrophy
• Worsening of sleep apnea
• Benign enlargement of the prostate
• Increase red blood cell production

Having an experienced physician familiar with testosterone replacement therapy is important in helping to mitigate the possible side effects of TRT. Having follow up labs multiple times annually is important in detecting and addressing any potential complications and can easily be alleviated typically with minor dose adjustments.Some tests are important and determining whether a patient is a good candidate and may include both free and total testosterone levels as well as estrogen levels on TRT which may be influenced through the use of exogenous testosterone.  Having a PSA test will help ensure that prostate antigen levels are within normal ranges, and a CBC will help keep a check on hematocrit levels which will show any increases in red blood cell production.[caption id="attachment_1737" align="alignnone" width="232"]

Testosterone therapy and peptides at NovaGenix in Jupiter, Florida[/caption]

How to start Testosterone replacement therapy.

If you think you may benefit from testosterone replacement injections, The process to get started is simple. You can call/text us at 561-277-8260 or email us at info@novagenix.org.You can fill out our new patient intake form by clicking this link and once submitted, we will reach out to schedule an initial online consultation with our doctor. He will be able to review any blood work as well as the patient’s past and current medical history to determine if a patient would benefit from TRT. Hormone replacement therapy can help a patient feel better and treat the underlying signs and symptoms of low T. Our goal is to improve the way our patients look, live, and feel by optimize in her hormone levels and health simultaneously.By monitoring our patient’s hormone levels and making any adjustments as needed along the way we help medicate any side effects and make the process as convenient and efficient as we possibly can to ensure that you get individualized care without having to make multiple doctor appointments and visits to the labs and pharmacies. Our telemedicine options for online TRT are affordable, convenient, and effective. Medication can be shipped directly to our patient’s home making the process as convenient for our patients as possible.  If you would like to discuss developing an individualized treatment plan with our physician, you can get started today by giving us a call or text and we’ll take care of the rest.  We are a medical team with over 20 years’ experience and have helped hundreds of men test, diagnose and treat low t at our Low T clinic in the West Palm Beach area.[caption id="attachment_1513" align="alignnone" width="485"]

How to get started on testosterone therapy[/caption]NovaGenix: 609 N. Hepburn Ave Suite 106. Jupiter, Florida 33458