Are you comfortable with an intramuscular injection weekly or even twice weekly, the gold standard of replacement? Would you rather go for the painless route, swallowing tablets multiple times a day? Administering testosterone to replace depleted levels can be done in a variety of ways, depending on your choice and the recommendation of your doctor, based on your specific situation. Each has its own benefits, risks, dosages, and mode of administration. If you cannot find a particular route, they may not be available in your country. Skim through the list of hormone replacement therapy for men to help you get acquainted with each and how they are administered.
1. Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men: Swallow
Oral testosterone has long been tried and methylated in an attempt to keep it from being destroyed by the liver but with little success. Methyl testosterone goes by many names but the bottom line is you can can not get consistent levels with it even when taking it multiple times a day. It is a well-known fact that when you increase the dose of a medication to more than once daily your compliance falls dramatically. With the above in mind we find this route of little value.
2. Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men: Stick
Buccal application are also methyl testosterone but absorbed slowly over longer period of time making twice a day application possible. We have found these of little value and don’t use them.
Another replacement form of  therapy for men makes use of adhesives and comes as transdermal patch. Andropatch is a self adhesive patch of gel made up of 2.5 mg or 5 mg of testosterone that is attached to the skin. It is to be replaced everyday. This has been met with irritation at the site of application and lower than optimal levels of testosterone. The biggest concern of this route is inconsistent absorption.
3. Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men: Rub
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be transdermally applied as a gel. It comes in such brands as Testim gel, Testogel and Androgel. It is available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg sachets. Apply the gel to the skin daily. The gel is fast drying and is absorbed by your body through the skin, enabling slow release of testosterone all through the day. This form of transdermal application has worked wonderfully in females but in men the levels obtained are far from optimal and there is a high conversion to dihydrotestosterone that can lead to an enlarged prostate and hair loss.
4. Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men: Inject
There are two injection forms available to men, the best type is dependent on age and certain lab results. In men younger than 50 we can sometimes use HCG as a sub-Q injection twice a week. This acts like luteinizing hormone stimulating the Leydig cells to produce testosterone. The testosterone levels obtained can be excellent. The injections are done twice weekly and the HCG must be refrigerated. The more common form of injection is with testosterone cypionate as an intramuscular injection. This is a self-administered injection done one to two times a week. The results using this form of administration are excellent and can be fine tuned based on lab results. This is truly the gold standard in male hormone replacement.
5. Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men: Implant
This last form of testosterone administration is done as a pellet implant . It can be done on 3 or 6 month intervals. The implantation requires an incision and sterile technique in a physicians office. Many people find the pellets uncomfortable, there have been reports of pellets migrating out through the skin. The biggest draw back is the ability to fine tune the testosterone levels in an individual is lost.
These are some of the forms of hormone replacement therapy for men which are aimed to produce the anabolic and physical effects of testosterone and its derivatives. It is up to you and your doctor to choose which one suits you best.
See related articles.
“Testosterone Pellets in Men and Women”
“Age Related Changes and the Penis”
“Treatment for a Low Testosterone Level”
“3 Sure Fire Ways to Attain Normal Testosterone Levels in Men”
