What To Expect With Injectable Testosterone
Deciding to treat low T with injectable testosterone is the first step to a healthier life. Here’s what you can expect from testosterone shots.
Keyword(s): injectable testosterone
Most peopleย know what testosterone isย a male steroid hormone. We associate it with manliness.
But testosterone does more than just promote a healthy sex drive. It also affects body fat, bone density, muscle mass, red blood cell count, and mood.
The normal testosterone levels in men areย between 300 and 1,000 ng/dL.
But if you get aย blood test that shows your levels are far below that, your doctor may suggest testosterone replacement therapy in the form of injectable testosterone.
Injectable Testosterone can be of Great Benefit to those with Low Testosterone (low T)
While it’s totally normal for men to startย losing some of their testosterone when they hit their 30s or 40s, more rapid declines in testosterone levels couldย indicate a more serious problem called low T.
Common symptoms of low T include:
- decreased sperm count
- changes in sex drive
- erectile dysfunction (ED)
- weight gain
- depression or anxiety
- hot flashes
Some men may also notice shrinkageย in the size of their penis and testicles, while others may haveย swelling of the breasts. These symptoms can take many months before you notice them.
It’s at this point that you may consider testosterone replacement therapy.
Injectable testosterone is usuallyย given by your doctor.
The injection site is most oftenย in the gluteal muscles in the buttocks. But ifย your doctor allows you to do the injections yourself, the injection site would be in your thigh.
Whatever the case, if your doctor recommends injectable testosterone, you need to be realistic.ย You are not going to drop 25 pounds in a monthย or quickly add 2ย inches.
That’s just not how it works.
The benefits of testosterone therapy will not take years though. It will take a longer amount of time to see some benefits than others as theย increased testosterone starts working on a cellular level.
But if you go into this therapy with realistic expectations, you’ll probably be pretty satisfied with the changes you eventually see.
In general, you can expect to see results within theย following time frames:
The first week after the injection
On a cellular level, there will be improved insulin sensitivity. Although this improves within the first few days, you may not notice the effects for 3-12 months.
Three weeks after the treatment begins
So this is the time where you’ll probably start to notice some real differences.
Most men report an improvement inย sex drive, sexual thoughts, fantasy, satisfaction, and libido. There is also an increase in morning erections and ejaculation
At this stage, many men also seeย a decline in anxiety and aggression. They tend to feel more sociable, awake and attentive.ย Some report feeling more creative.
A reduction in inflammation typically begins around this third week too, and continuing to lessen throughoutย the remainder of treatment.
4 weeks after beginning treatment for low T
Improved erectile function begins around this time and continues to improve over the next several months. Mental alertness and improved memoryย are alsoย apparent during this time with continued improvement expected.
A slight decrease in triglycerides and total cholesterol begin, while an increase in full erections and sexualย performance are noticeable.
6 – 8 weeks into injectable testosterone therapy
Feelings of depression and lack of motivation begin to lift around the six-week point, althoughย the maximum benefitsย take longer to take effect.
In most cases, men report a general satisfaction with their sex lives by the end of the eighth week.
3 months from onset of testosterone treatment
This is the time when you’ll start to notice a change in lean body mass, fat mass and muscle strength.
There will be an improvement in glycemic control and the formation of red blood cells (known as erythropoiesis) and a decline in blood pressure.
The decreases in LDL cholesterol levels and increases in HDL cholesterol levels continue, though the maximum changes typically occur some time between 6 and 12 months. (Proper diet and exercise play into this too.)
Additionally, there is an increased exercise capacity at this point – even for men who experience chronic heart failure.
6 months into treatment with injectable testosterone
As mentioned above, many of the benefits are continuing to maximize over the course of your treatment.
At the six-month point, there is increased bone density, as well as a rise in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels which are typically very low in those with low T.
Whatย can you Expect by the end of the First Year of Treatment with Injectable Testosterone?
The list below gives you the overall benefits from using this testosterone replacement therapy.
- Improved sex and sex life
- Stronger bones
- Sharper brain functions
- Increased exercise capacity
- Stabilized muscle strengthening
- Betterย mood and outlook
- Deeper sleep
- Peak effects of red blood cell formation
- Improved glycemic control
- Steady PSA levels
- Lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
- Improved lean body mass and reduced fat
Keep in mind though that while injected testosteroneย can help regulate fat distribution, youย likely won’t experience seriousย weight changes from hormone therapy alone.
As for maintaining muscle, it should be noted that injectable testosterone and other therapies have been found to help increase muscle mass, but not strength.
Still, the results from injectable testosterone can be life changing. Especially for those who experienceย debilitating symptoms associated with low T.
If you makeย the decision to try testosterone therapy, you’ll want to be educated on what will happen once the treatment ends. Fortunately, you can turn to hormone replacement therapy specialists who can guide you to ensure that your body continues to produce enough testosterone.
Specific medication protocols are usually followed at the end of treatment so that the effects of low T don’t return.
While it’s not a cure, using injectable testosterone is an effective therapyย to help you reach aย level of wellness and vitality that’s closer to what you felt when you were younger. And this will give you a better quality of life.
If you have already experienced the benefits – or drawbacks – of injectable testosterone therapy, please feel free to share below.ย There are some guys out there who could benefit from your experience.
