In these cases, you may start something called testosterone therapy. For a variety of reasons — ranging from gender identity to desired aesthetic to improved sexual function — sometimes people need or want higher testosterone levels than their bodies naturally have. Transgender and transmasculine folks looking to achieve and sustain certain changes often use testosterone therapy long term. • In women, therapy should stay within the female physiologic range and is supported for much narrower indications. When you think of testosterone, what comes to mind? These guidelines are only one element in the complex process of improving the health of America. Although new developments are promising, it seems that, among the available treatments, only transdermal gels delivery and long-acting injectable TU have provided pharmacokinetic behaviour that gives a steady state level within the physiological range. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of the method of replacement will often be determined by patient preference or co-medication (e.g. no IM injections in patient under coumarin or similar anticoagulants). Numerous studies have shown the benefits of TTh overtly in hypogonadal men. Testosterone augments the action of NO and therefore testosterone might be helpful in men with LUTS who are testosterone deficient. Other studies followed, stating the relationship between erectile dysfunction and LUTS and TTh alone or in combination with α-blockers or phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) can improve both erectile dysfunction and LUTS . This can help improve the symptoms of low testosterone, like low libido and lack of energy. With TRT, you take a manufactured form of testosterone to regulate your levels. As of 2025, it’s not yet approved for males who naturally experience a decline in testosterone as they age. Together, you and your healthcare provider will decide if TRT is right for you. A relatively small number of men experience immediate side effects of testosterone supplementation, such as acne, disturbed breathing while sleeping (worsening sleep apnea), breast swelling or tenderness, or swelling in the ankles. Men get started on testosterone replacement and they feel better, but then it's hard to come off of it. General fatigue and malaise has so many other causes, and when most men get a blood test, the result is a normal testosterone level. This treatment is called testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT. Treatment with testosterone therapy may help reduce symptoms. These platforms also offer the option to connect virtually with a trans-inclusive healthcare professional, so you can ask your personal questions to figure out whether testosterone therapy is right for you. "It’s important to fully understand the risks and benefits of any therapy, including testosterone therapy, which may be ongoing for months to years," she says. Even when a testosterone value looks appealing on paper, treatment is not successful if symptoms have not improved, hematocrit has risen too far, fertility plans were ignored, or side effects are emerging. For men, replacement therapy is meant to restore testosterone into a normal physiologic range in the setting of confirmed deficiency. This means women's TRT targets should not be "as high as possible while feeling good." The better standard is "the lowest effective exposure that stays within the female physiologic range and supports the specific symptom target under monitoring." It is to stay within the physiologic range for women while assessing whether the symptom that justified therapy is actually improving. Testosterone therapy in women has a much narrower evidence-based indication, with the strongest support in postmenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (Davis et al., Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2019; Parish et al., Climacteric, 2021). If a woman has too much testosterone in her body, she may begin to notice changes to her physical appearance. Testosterone is a hormone responsible for male sex characteristics, sperm creation, and fertility. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. Swerdloff RS, Wang C. The testis and male hypogonadism, infertility, and sexual dysfunction. Male menopause; Andropause; Testosterone deficiency; Low-T; Androgen deficiency of the aging male; Late-onset hypogonadism If you do not notice any change in symptoms after treatment for 3 months, it is less likely that TRT treatment will benefit you.