{"id":6403,"date":"2019-04-24T11:50:47","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T11:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prostate.net\/?p=6403"},"modified":"2019-04-24T11:50:47","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T11:50:47","slug":"testosterone-replacement-therapy-for-male-menopause","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/red64.com\/testosterone-replacement-therapy-for-male-menopause\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Male Menopause"},"content":{"rendered":"

Testosterone replacement therapy is a treatment option for some men who are experiencing life-changing symptoms associated with male menopause, also known as andropause. Testosterone replacement therapy is also referred to as male hormone replacement therapy, low t therapy, hormone replacement therapy for men, and testosterone replacement. Two questions men often ask are, Can testosterone therapy cause cancer?\u00a0<\/strong>And, Is hormone replacement therapy safe?<\/p>\n

When it comes to hormones, prostate cancer depends on estrogen rather than testosterone, and the fear that taking testosterone will increase a man\u2019s risk of developing prostate cancer has been put to rest. \u00a0However, it took decades to dispel this myth, which was based originally on a single patient in a study from the 1940s. <\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Among the studies that led to banishment of the testosterone myth was a 2006 report. That research showed that raising testosterone levels in the blood did not raise levels inside the prostate, and thus the prostate was not exposed to excess testosterone. According to Abraham Morgentaler, MD, FACS, author of Testosterone for Life, <\/em>there is now \u201cgood evidence that testosterone therapy is quite safe for the prostate. There is even now a growing concern that low testosterone is a risk for prostate cancer rather than high testosterone.\u201d<\/p>\n

About testosterone replacement therapy<\/h2>\n

Before starting use of testosterone for male menopause, men should undergo a complete general exam. That examination should include a digital rectal examination,<\/strong> PSA test, lipid panel, liver function tests, blood test to determine testosterone levels, and cardiac function tests as well as, in some circumstances, a prostate biopsy<\/a>. All of these tests should be repeated every 3 to 6 months while men are being treated, because male hormone replacement therapy side effects can be significant. Side effects of testosterone replacement therapy may include an increased tendency to form blood clots, thrombophlebitis<\/a> (swelling of the veins due to blood clots), and liver toxicity, as well as breast enlargement, urinary tract blockage, sleep apnea, and a rise in PSA levels.<\/p>\n

The hormone used in testosterone replacement therapy is available in several forms, including<\/p>\n