Low testosterone or low T is a condition experienced by some men whereby production of the male sex hormone, testosterone, dips below normal levels causing a variety of symptoms. With testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), testosterone is given to normalize levels.
There are many potential causes of low T (e.g., trauma to testes, medications, alcohol abuse, obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes, hypothyroidism etc.), but men normally experience a 1% yearly drop in testosterone production beginning around the age of 30.
The most common symptoms of low T are decreased sex drive, low energy/fatigue, irritability/depression, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, anemia, and osteoporosis.
Your providers at Spark Health wellness clinic work as a team to understand your health goals and restore your health from the inside out. We know that every patient has unique health challenges and offer individualized holistic treatment plans for optimal wellness. Spark Health was founded in 2013 in Solana Beach, California, to provide patients in Southern California with personalized natural medicine and wellness options.
Always work with your doctor to determine if TRT is right for you. Some patients choose to live with low T and not receive therapy.
TRT can worsen sleep apnea, may be at higher risk of cardiovascular problems, cause acne/oily skin, decrease sperm count, or may develop larger breasts with continued or large doses. It is very important to monitor labs while taking TRT.
Men with low T can stay on TRT perhaps indefinitely as long as the therapy is well tolerated and lab values are within normal limits.
The best way to take testosterone replacement therapy really depends on personal preference and the advice from your doctor given your overall health. Testosterone replacement therapy injections are only one of several TRT options.
If the patient's blood work shows low T and he is experiencing negative symptoms, then TRT may be an appropriate solution.
At Spark Health in San Diego, CA, we have licensed naturopathic doctors who specialize in administering and interpreting diagnostic blood work to test for low T and TRT.
Our doctors at Spark Health naturopathic clinic in Southern California specialize in hormone replacement therapy for patients who show testosterone deficiencies in their blood work.