Testosterone Injections: Are They Right For You? - Healthline

Maybe your like

HealthlineSubscribeA Look at Testosterone Injections

Medically reviewed by Zara Risoldi Cochrane, Pharm.D., M.S., FASCP — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on August 29, 2018

Symptoms
Diagnosis
Benefits
Fat and muscle
Sperm count
Cost
Risks
Bottom line

Testosterone

Testosterone is a male steroid hormone that does a lot more for men than just promote a healthy sex drive. The hormone affects several other factors in your health, including body fat, muscle mass, bone density, red blood cell count, and mood.

Normal testosterone levels are between 300 and 1,000 ng/dL. If a blood test shows that your levels are far below the norm, your doctor may suggest testosterone injections. These are a form treatment called testosterone replacement therapy.

Testosterone injections are most often given by your doctor. The injection site is typically in the gluteal muscles in the buttocks. However, your doctor may allow you to self-administer the injections. In that case, the injection site would be in your thigh muscles.

Low T symptoms

Men naturally start losing some of their testosterone when they hit their 30s or 40s. A more rapid decline in testosterone levels may indicate a problem called low testosterone (low T). Common symptoms of low T include:

erectile dysfunction (ED)
changes in sex drive
decreased sperm count
depression or anxiety
weight gain
hot flashes

Some men may also have changes in the size of their penis and testicles. Others may have breast swelling.

Diagnosing low T

Some men may want to diagnose themselves with low T. The problem with self-diagnosis is that many of the symptoms of low T are normal parts of aging, so using them for diagnosis isn’t reliable. A doctor-ordered testosterone level test is the only way to find out if your testosterone levels are too low.

When you see your doctor, they will take a thorough health history and do a physical exam. In addition to a blood test to measure your testosterone levels, you’ll also likely have a test that measures your red blood cell count. Testosterone injections can increase your red blood cell count, so this test is done to make sure you aren’t at risk of a dangerous increase in these cells.

If your exam and tests reveal that you have low T, your doctor may suggest testosterone injections.

Potential benefits

The purpose of testosterone injections is to help regulate male hormone levels to help address problems related to low T. For men with low T, the benefits of these injections can include:

an increased sex drive
improved symptoms of ED
more energy
improved mood
an increased sperm count

Fat and muscle changes

Men generally have less body fat than women. This is partly related to testosterone, which regulates fat distribution and muscle maintenance in your body. With low T, you’ll likely notice an increase in body fat, especially around your midsection.

Your hormones also help regulate muscle growth. So, with low T, you may feel like you’re losing muscle size or strength. However, this only occurs if your low T is prolonged and severe.

Testosterone shots can help regulate fat distribution, but you shouldn’t expect significant weight changes from hormone therapy alone. As for muscle maintenance, testosterone therapy has been found to help increase muscle mass, but not strength.

Sperm count changes

Low sperm count is a common side effect of low T. This problem can make it difficult if you and your partner are trying to get pregnant. However, if low T is to blame for problems with conception, don’t count on testosterone injections to help. Testosterone therapy can itself lead to reduced sperm counts, especially at high doses.

Cost

According to GoodRx.com, the cost of 1 mL (200 mg/mL) of Depo-Testosterone is about $30. The same amount of testosterone cypionate, the generic version of that drug, runs about $12–$26. The Depo-Testosterone label states that shots should be given every two to four weeks. Considering that dosage varies by patient, the cost could run anywhere from less than $24 per month to more than $120 per month.

These estimates only cover the drug itself, and not all possible costs of treatment. For instance, if you receive the injections from your doctor, there’s a cost for the office visits. This is in addition to the cost of office visits for monitoring, as your doctor will likely monitor your condition carefully to check for side effects and to make sure the injections are working properly. If you give yourself the injections, you may also need to buy needles and syringes.

Testosterone therapy doesn’t cure the cause of low T, it just raises testosterone levels up to a normal range. Therefore, injections could be a lifelong treatment if you continue to need them.

Some insurance companies cover portions of the costs, but you’ll want to check your coverage in advance. If you have questions about the costs, talk to your doctor.

Health risks

Testosterone shots can help many men with low T. Still, this doesn’t mean that these powerful injections are safe for all men. Be sure to tell your doctor about all health conditions you have before starting testosterone therapy.

You will likely need extra monitoring from your doctor if you have heart disease, sleep apnea, or a high red blood cell count. And you should not use testosterone injections at all if you have breast cancer or prostate cancer.

Testosterone shots may also increase your risk of certain health problems, such as:

liver problems
heart problems, including heart attack and stroke
blood clots
worsening of pre-existing prostate tumors or benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate)

Bottom line

Testosterone injections can be helpful, but only if you actually have low T. If you’re wondering if these injections might be right for you, talk to your doctor. They can test you for low T. If they diagnose you, you can discuss whether these injections would be a good choice for you.

If you don’t end up having low T but still feel like your hormone levels might be off, keep in mind that good nutrition, regular exercise, and avoiding smoking could help you feel better. If those don’t help, be sure to talk to your doctor.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Bassil, N., Alkaade, S., and Morley, J.E. (2009). The benefits and risks of testosterone replacement therapy: A review. Journal of Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 5, 427–448. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2701485/
DEPO-TESTOSTERONE - testosterone cypionate injection, solution. (2016, September 16)https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=fe808a56-7542-4d23-97b4-d98a3ef63016
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, April 1). Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you agehttp://www.mayoclinic.com/health/testosterone-therapy/MC00030
Carnegie, C. (2004). Diagnosis of hypogonadism: Clinical assessments and laboratory tests. Reviews in Urology, 6(Suppl 6), S3–S8https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472884/
Surampudi, P., Swerdloff, R. S., and Wang, C. (2014, June). An update on male hypogonadism therapy. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 15(9), 1247–1264https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4168024/

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Zara Risoldi Cochrane, Pharm.D., M.S., FASCP — Written by Kristeen Cherney — Updated on August 29, 2018

Testosterone Injections: Are They Right For You? - Healthline

Health Conditions

Condition Spotlight

Wellness Topics

Product Reviews

Featured Programs

Featured

Lessons

Newsletters

Lifestyle Quizzes

Health News

This Just In

Top Reads

Video Series

Find Your Bezzy Community

Follow us on social media

Low T symptoms

Diagnosing low T

Potential benefits

Fat and muscle changes

Sperm count changes

Cost

Health risks

Bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

Read this next

How To Legally Buy Testosterone Online - Hone Health

Testosterone Cypionate Injection - HealthHub

Testosterone Injections For Low-T - Invigor Medical

Testosterone Singapore - Shim Clinic

Testosterone Replacement Treatment - Cross Street Medical Clinic

Testosterone Cypionate Injection - Empower Pharmacy

Buy Injectable Testosterone - Elite HRT

4 Types Of Injectable Testosterone - The Biostation

Depo-testosterone (single Use) - Amazon Pharmacy

Testosterone Injection | XYOSTED® (testosterone Enanthate)

Testosterone Injections For Sale | Online Purchase In USA

How To Buy Testosterone In The UK - Optimale

How Long Do Testosterone Injections Last For, And Are There Any Side ...

Contact