UNDERSTANDING RISKS
There are several conditions in which you should never use testosterone replacement therapy. These include:
Breast cancer (in males)
Prostate cancer
In some other cases testosterone replacement therapy may not be right for you. If one of the conditions below is applicable to you, your doctor will decide whether (in your specific case) testosterone replacement therapy is the right solution.
Liver disease
Heart or blood vessel disease
Edema (swelling of face, hands, feet, or lower legs)
Enlarged prostate
Kidney disease
Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes)
To help your doctor determine your best treatment plan, you should also discuss the following:
If you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to androgens or anabolic steroids.
If you are an adult male who plans to have children; high doses of androgens may cause infertility.
If you are bedridden.
If you are now taking any other prescription or nonprescription (OTC) medicine, especially anticoagulants (blood thinners).
TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
In many instances, testosterone replacement in men with andropause can be highly effective and beneficial. It's not for every man, of course, even those who show symptoms on the previous quiz may have other health problems at the root of it all. Still you should discuss with your doctor if you would be a good candidate for testosterone replacement therapy.
What should I expect from testosterone replacement?
In various clinical studies, very good responses to testosterone have been reported for men with low-testosterone and they include:
Improvement in mood and sense of well-being
Increased mental and physical energy
Decreased anger, irritability, sadness, tiredness, nervousness
Improved quality of sleep
Improved libido and sexual performance
An increase in lean body mass, a decline in fat mass
An increase in muscle strength (hand grip, upper and lower extremities)
Potentially, a decrease in the risk of heart disease
With testosterone therapy, one's attitude improves, reinforcing self-esteem and self-confidence at work, as well as an increased energy at home and in social activities. Most men will feel more vigorous, experience improved energy levels, mood, concentration, cognition, libido, sexual performance and an overall sense of well-being. These effects are usually noted within 3 to 6 weeks.
Other potential benefits include maintenance or improvement in bone density, improved body composition, muscle mass and muscle strength, as well as improvement in visual-spatial skills.
LIFESTYLE
Of course, any ongoing strategy to reduce the symptoms and risks of andropause should incorporate lifestyle approaches such as optimal diet, regular exercise, stress-management and the reduction of tobacco and alcohol intake.
* Courtesy of Schering–Plough Corporation. Andropause.com
