The Best Testosterone Treatments 2022

Let’s talk testosterone.

Testosterone is a hormone that is most often associated with sex drive and plays a vital role in sperm production. It also affects bone and muscle mass, the way men store fat in the body, and even red blood cell production. A man’s testosterone levels can also affect his mood.  These hormone levels often fluctuate throughout the day, but a sub-300 testosterone level is diagnosable as hypogonadism, or, “Low T.” Throughout a man’s life, his testosterone levels will fluctuate. For example, the same testosterone level for a 30-year-old will be very different from that of a 70-year-old. So, just because you have a “normal” Testosterone level does not necessarily mean that you are optimized in your levels.

Increasing Testosterone: What Are The Options? 

Nowadays, there are many different ways to increase testosterone safely. Testosterone manipulation can be done in the form of weekly injections, gels, patches, pellet therapy, nasal gels, and an oral pill.  Something to note if you are concerned about your testosterone levels, the newer treatment options (like the nasal gel and oral pill) are often not covered under insurance unless other therapies do not prove successful in raising testosterone levels. Testosterone cypionate injections (“TRT”) have been around the longest and are the most studied. Many men can do these injections at home once they are comfortable with the medication.

Other Popular Treatments for Low T

Clomiphene citrate testosterone treatment (Clomid) is another popular and well-studied option for men struggling with low testosterone. How much will clomid raise testosterone levels? This usually depends on the person. Clomid works by stimulating the body’s own production of testosterone, effectively helping signal the testes to produce testosterone and thereby increase testosterone levels naturally.    We have seen high increases along with some marginally low increases, but an increase overall all the same.

HCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin) is a substance that directly tells the testicles to make more testosterone.  HCG acts as a parallel of LH (luteinizing hormone), therefore stimulating the testicles to produce more testosterone. LH also stimulates production of sperm within the seminiferous tubules, which are structures inside the testicles, and therefore helps to maintain fertility in men.  This injection is usually given either 2-3 times per week and can be quite expensive.

Clomid vs HCG: Which Is Right for Me?

Clomid is a daily or every other day pill that tricks your body into thinking it needs to produce more testosterone and ultimately more (and healthier) sperm. HCG is an injection that is primarily used in conjunction with testosterone injections to preserve testicular size and sperm production. HCG, in general, can be an expensive and tedious process.

Even More Things That Increase Testosterone In Men

Testosterone pellet therapy is an additional treatment option.  TPT therapy is 10 to 15 TicTac-sized pellets placed under the skin around the buttock area by the nurse practitioner. Pellet therapy releases a steady dose of testosterone. This method relieves the patient of having to do weekly injections or taking pills every day, as TPT only usually requires bi-annual visits.

Natural ways to increase testosterone include balanced diets focused on healthy proteins, weight loss, exercise, managing stress levels, healthy sleep habits, limiting drugs and alcohol, and maximizing vitamin d, zinc, and magnesium levels.  Testosterone is restrained by excess adipose tissue (belly fat) and when fat loss is achieved, testosterone generally increases. Exercise increases testosterone in two ways:

• It helps in building muscle mass. Once your muscles are building up properly, increased T levels usually follow suit.
• Exercises help in weight balancing and maintenance. Many studies have shown low testosterone levels are closely linked with high levels of obesity.

How do you know if the Testosterone treatment is working?  Short-term benefits of TRT may include a heightened sense of vitality, increased libido, enhanced energy levels, more restful sleep, and mental clarity.  These symptoms can be expected 4-6 weeks after treatment is started, sometimes sooner depending on the person. Although you can get these treatments anywhere. It is best to be followed by board-certified and trained clinicians, like us here at Austin Urology Institute!  We take pride in our treatments and have patient testimonials so you can feel comfortable reaching out to us.  Please contact us (512-694-8888) for an initial evaluation and treatment plan designed specifically for you.