Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Though it is often considered the “male” hormone—since men have higher levels of it–testosterone is an anabolic hormone that both men and women naturally produce, and it plays an important role in a variety of bodily functions. Testosterone levels naturally decline with age, but this decline often leads to a decline in the body’s performance and function of physiological processes necessary for health and longevity.

By replacing testosterone and restoring the body’s level of the hormone to a “younger” level, testosterone replacement therapy can produce improvements in:

Inflammation.

Testosterone regulates the production and activity of immune cells, increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines and shifting the cytokine balance to a state of reduced inflammation. By inhibiting the formation of adipose tissue and the expression of adipocytokines (proteins that contribute to inflammation), testosterone acts as a “brake pedal” on your immune response. Begins around 3 weeks and maxes out at 12 weeks.

Glycemic control.

Testosterone helps tissues in the body absorb more blood sugar in response to insulin, reducing HbA1C (the measure of average blood sugar levels) and activating glucose metabolism in the skeletal muscle. This can also help improve your insulin sensitivity and appetite regulation. (Low insulin sensitivity can lead to both high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, so the more sensitive you are to insulin, the better your health is.)

Many patients begin to see an improvement in insulin sensitivity within a week of starting TRT, with more general improvements in glycemic control beginning around week 12 and peaking at the 12-month mark.

Body composition.

Testosterone has a direct impact on metabolic processes. It helps you maintain a basal metabolic rate while reducing fat deposits and decreasing fat mass. It also increases growth hormone levels, inhibits the creation of new fat cells, impacts where you store fat, and promotes your body burning lipids off as energy.

It is also anabolic in nature, which means it builds tissue by accelerating the synthesis of muscle proteins. Replacing declining levels of testosterone can produce an increase in muscle mass and bone density as well as a decrease in body fat. You’ll start to notice muscle gain after about 3 months, but the most significant increases tend to happen within the first 12 months.

Libido and sexual health.

Testosterone is commonly attributed to sexual desire, performance, and function, but the exact physiological mechanism is unclear. For starters, it acts as a vasodilator of the penis to facilitate erections. It also influences the neurotransmitters and pathways involved in ejaculation and serves as the “trigger” behind the entire process leading to orgasm, from sending the proper signals between the brain and nerve cells associated with stimulation to achieving and sustaining erections.

Testosterone replacement therapy can produce a range of improvements in sexual function, such as an increase in sex drive and in erection quality and frequency. Some patients notice improvements—such as the return of morning erections—as early as week 2 or 3 of TRT, but most longer-term changes in erections/ejaculations can take up to 6 months

Cognitive health and mood.

Testosterone plays several important roles in brain health and function, including strengthening nerves and artery muscles; delaying neuronal apoptosis (cell death); and accelerates nerve regeneration. It can also improve synaptic plasticity and prevent neuronal damage caused by oxidative stress.

Low testosterone has been linked to reduced cognitive ability and function, but by restoring testosterone levels, testosterone replacement therapy can reduce inflammation in the brain, improve red blood cell production, and balance other hormones, all of which have positive effects on mental health. Moreover, testosterone may play a role in serotonin reuptake in the brain, so replacing it may help improve your brain’s activity and overall mood.

There are often noticeable short-term improvements in energy levels and mood in the early stages of TRT, but the most significant changes tend to occur between 3 and 6 months, when concentration, memory, and emotional stability improve, as well as mental clarity and focus, enabling you to stay sharper throughout the day.

Recovery.

Because it is an anabolic hormone, testosterone enhances your body’s ability to build and repair tissue while increasing the number of satellite cells throughout your body—cells that are essentially precursors to muscle cells—and suppressing cortisol. Maintaining an appropriate level of testosterone via TRT can help ensure that the rate of muscle breakdown doesn’t exceed the rate of muscle growth and that your muscles repair and grow more quickly.