Testosterone Replacement Side Effects
One of the most popular of the testosterone replacement therapies is injectable testosterone.
When we think of these we may automatically assume testosterone injections and aggression would be a natural side effect.
However, this is not necessarily the case.
This misconception is probably due to images we have of bodybuilders abusing illegal steroids and increasing their testosterone to extremely high levels.
It should be understood that testosterone injections and aggression are usually not a concern for people being given these injections under a doctor's supervision because they will mostly be prescribed only for people who have a low testosterone count to begin with.
The goal is to bring testosterone levels up to normal levels, not to increase it to astronomical levels.
Bodybuilders who were abusing anabolic illegal steroids already had high levels of testosterone to begin with but were trying to increase their levels of the hormone to an artificially high degree.
Having said this, it should be noted that there are still possible side effects of testosterone shots.
Indeed, some potential side effects of testosterone shots include:
- deeper voice
- body hair growth, even on the face as well.
- increased libido (though this may sound like a good thing, it can become excessive).
- weight gain
- mood swings (due to a large dose upon injection which then gradually wears off before the next injection)
- acne
- swelling in the arms and legs
- gynecomastia (breast growth in males)
- hair loss
Side effects of testosterone replacement can happen to varying degrees in any of the prescription based testosterone treatments.
Others of these include: testosterone cream, testosterone pellets, testosterone gels, and more.
Each of these has its pros and cons.
For example, testosterone pellets do not generally lead to highs and lows that can happen with injections because the pellets dissolve slowly, releasing testosterone consistently and evenly.
However, pellets need to be placed under the skin, and that requires an incision.
Testosterone cream, on the other hand, can be rubbed into the skin, but one disadvantage is that skin-to-skin contact with someone else at the site of where the cream was used may transfer testosterone to the other person.
To avoid the side effects of testosterone replacement some people are turning to natural means to boost their testosterone, such as
Foods that boost testosterone and herbs such as
Tribulus Terrestris which indirectly helps the body manufacture more of its own testosterone rather than introducing the hormone artificially.
Please look around and we hope you find our resource helpful and don't forget to talk to your doctor before making any decisions about anything you read on this or any other website.