Testosterone replacement therapy

Androgen replacement therapy
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Androgen replacement therapy (ART), often referred to as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), is a class of hormone replacement therapy in which androgens, often testosterone, are replaced. ART is often prescribed to counter the effects of male hypogonadism. It typically involves the administration of testosterone through injections, skin creams, patches, gels, or subcutaneous pellets.

ART is also prescribed to lessen the effects or delay the onset of normal male aging. However, this is controversial and is the subject of ongoing clinical trials. As men enter middle age they may notice changes caused by a relative decline in testosterone: fewer erections, fatigue, thinning skin, declining muscle mass and strength, more body fat. Dissatisfaction with these changes causes some middle age men to seek ART.

Androgen replacement is the classic treatment of hypogonadism and may improve hypogonadism symptoms such as anemia and fatigue.

Androgen replacement is also used in postmenopausal women, for instance to prevent or treat osteoporosis. The androgens used for androgen replacement in women include testosterone (and esters), methyltestosterone, and nandrolone decanoate.

In addition, a number of other effects of testosterone have led to research into possible therapeutic roles in:

The risks of diabetes and of testosterone deficiency in men over 45 (i.e., hypogonadism, specifically hypoandrogenism) are strongly correlated. Testosterone replacement therapies have been shown to improve blood glucose management. Still, "it is prudent not to start testosterone therapy in men with diabetes solely for the purpose of improving metabolic control if they show no signs and symptoms of hypogonadism."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated in 2015 that neither the benefits nor the safety of testosterone have been established for low testosterone levels due to aging. The FDA has required that testosterone labels include warning information about the possibility of an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.

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