For long it has been thought that testosterone supplementation would be beneficial in regards of decreasing the ageing process in males; but evidence is now available to the contrary.
It is important to understand for the patients and the physician treating them that testosterone variation occurs with a lot of factors.
Some of the factors which can contribute to changing concentration of the same are
- Hour to hour variation or daily variation
- Seasonal Variation
- Changes in glucose intake.
- Triglyceride concentration in blood
- Exercise
- Sexual activity
- Job status;
- Competitive spirit.
- Vitamin D levels in body
Also, there is a wide range of normal testosterone concentrations at all ages, and we lack age-adjusted or ethnicity-adjusted normal testosterone concentration ranges. There is no agreement on what concentration of testosterone constitutes a 'low' level - the definition of low ranges from 200 to 350 ng/dl.
The symptoms which are normally associated with Low-T (decreased energy, increased body fat, and reduced sex drive) are nonspecific and include symptoms associated with normal ageing as well.
Reverse ageing or sudden improvement in symptoms will not occur with Sr Testosterone and also the side effect profile needs to be assessed on a case to case basis before initiating treatment.
Concern about adverse effects of treatment should be balanced against the inconsistent findings of testosterone benefits for what may be normal manifestations of ageing.
Having said that, it is also important to understand that closely picked up patients with multiple signs of "Hypogonadism" will benefit from testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). A decision which should be taken by the physician after detailed assessment.
This is not a decision to be taken by a GYM instructor and should be thought of in detail before embarking on the journey called TRT.