Is Testosterone Safe?
In general most studies are in favor of TRT being safe and actually beneficial to your health as low Testosterone can also have a very negative effect on your health and even your longevity. Testosterone is a natural hormone we all require and so if it is deficient it only makes sense to have it restored in your body for proper hormone levels and body function.
What Risks are Associated with TRT?
Yes there can be some risks for a small group of people.
- Some people can experience a rash or itching at the injection site most likely from an allergy or reaction to the other fluids (esters) used to help absorb the Testosterone into your body, this is usually temporary and just a minor inconvenience. Trying a different type of Testosterone solution can correct this problem.
- TRT can increase the risk of heart attach and stroke but generally this is if the dose is too high and or blood prose is not monitored correctly, if your Estrogen is not in check it can lead to water retention and higher blood pressure.
- The same is true for possible sleep apnea.
Can TRT Cause Prostate Cancer?
Another risk I wanted to single out on its own is prostate cancer related to TRT. There is much debate on this but it is assumed that elevated levels of Testosterone can speed up the rate of existing prostate cancers so some doctors will actual crash a mans Testosterone as a way to slow down prostate cancer and treat it.
Is TRT the Same as Taking Steroids?
The short answer is no, however many body builders do inject Testosterone along with other performers enhancing drugs as part of their steroid protocol. A TRT dose is generally anywhere from 80mg to as much as 200mg of testosterone per week while body builders generally start out at 500 and can go up to extreme levels of Testosterone and other steroids in combination. The main goal of TRT is to get that individual back to a normal level of Testosterone in their system while a body builders goal is to obtain super-physiological levels of Testosterone and other steroids.
How is TRT Taken?
There are several popular ways to take Testosterone.
- Injections are generally conducted weekly or bimonthly and in some cases monthly depending on the oils/ester used and how the Testosterone absorbs into your body.
- Gel tabs are also commonly used especially when a person is reluctant to have regular needle injections and possible doctor visits.
- Transdermal Testosterone or skin patches are applied typically once per day to the upper arm allowing the Testosterone to absorb into the body.
- Implants or tablets can be applied directly into the muscle or under the skin and absorb over several weeks and even months.
Do You Need an AI (Aromatase Inhibitor) When On TRT?
First you need to understand what an AI is used for and why you might need one. Testosterone in both men and women partially converts to Estrogen and estrogen is also a necessary sex hormone both men and women require for proper body function and overall health. That said too much Estrogen is not a good thing and can lead to water retention, high blood pressure, gynecomastia and mood imbalances, even sexual disfunction. Most TRT doses should not require an AI because when your Testosterone is increased you also need an increase in Estrogen to balance each other, this generally happens as it should but for some people their Estrogen can become too high or cause side effects so in this situation an AI (Aromatase Inhibitor) may be required.
Keep in mind too low of Estrogen in your body can also have a negative effect like joint pain, mood swings, tiredness, sexual disfunction and even less muscle mass so it is not good to take too much of an AI and potentially crash your Estrogen levels.
Should You Go On and Off Cycle When On TRT?
The idea of going on and off cycle is something more commonly associated with body building as body builders take very high levels of Steroids during a prep cycle or bulk cycle and to give the body a break from the extreme high levels of Steroids they take several month off to allow their bodies to rest in hopes that they will begin producing natural hormone again. This is more of a practice done in the past, most body builders today will do what’s is called “blasting and cruising” which means they take the same high levels of Steroids while getting ready for a contest and rather than coming completely off of them, they take much lower doses in hopes of keeping most of the muscle the worked hard to build during the prep or bulk. It is now understood that most body builders will not get back to normal hormone function after years of steroid abuse. Many will have to be on TRT for the rest of their lives.
So getting back to the idea of going on and off of a TRT program, this is not a good idea unless there are other outside reasons for it since if you decide to come off of your TRT, your Testosterone levels will crash and since you needed to go on TRT in the first place because of low Testosterone, it is highly unlikely that your body will begin to naturally make adequate levels of Testosterone. So in other words you will feel like garbage after a few weeks of coming off of TRT.
Do Your Testicles Shrink and Can You Still Have Kids On TRT?
Yes your testicles will more than likely shrink unless they had already shrunk because of low Testosterone production, then you may not notice it as much. The reason for this shrinkage is because when you go on an exogenous or (outside source) of Testosterone because you are on TRT, your body will then stop making it’s own Testosterone with much of it being produced in the testicles. This results in a reduction in the size of the testicles. This lack of your own body making Testosterone and testicle shrinkage also effects sperm count drastically and can result in infertility for some.
There are drugs like HCG and even Climid that can help to bring back your bodies own natural production of Testosterone even while on TRT resulting in a more normal testicle size and higher sperm count allowing fertility to be more likely.
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