Testosterone injections for males. Testosterone injections and possible side effects from injections Feelings after a testosterone injection

Testosterone injections for men are given when problems arise with a lack of male hormones, which arise with age. Testosterone injections become necessary at the moment when the male body cannot independently synthesize the required amount of this hormone, and so-called androgen deficiency occurs. To help such a patient, whose body cannot fully carry out its natural functions, male hormones are introduced from the outside. This type of treatment is called hormone replacement therapy. Recent studies have shown that testosterone injections can help solve another problem of the male body - obesity.

Method of administration of the hormonal drug

There are several ways to eliminate the lack of testosterone in the male body:

1. Intramuscular injections.
2. Through the gastrointestinal tract (orally) through tablets, pills and capsules.
3. Injection under the skin using various implants.
4. The use of various ointments, gels or special patches containing the hormone. In this case, the medicine enters the body through the skin (transdermal method).
5. Administration of the hormone through the mouth using special tablets that dissolve over time (buccal method).

The most common way to compensate for the lack of testosterone in a man’s body is an intramuscular injection containing the necessary hormone. This technique has been used for a long time, and reviews about it are mostly positive, but side effects are also observed, which will be discussed below.

Different types of injections

They are divided into 3 main types, differing in the duration of exposure of the male body to the administered drug:

1. The effect of the drug lasts a relatively short time.
2. The average duration of exposure of the drug to the patient.
3. Prolonged (long-lasting) action of the hormone in the male body.

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Let's look at each variety separately:

1. Injections with short-acting drugs are based on the propionate of this hormone. Once in the body, they can replenish the missing substance within 3 days. The positive property of these drugs is that they begin to act immediately after administration. The negative qualities of such injections are their pain (even the most persistent representatives of the stronger sex are afraid of this), the need for frequent repetition, and the high likelihood of side effects.
2. Injections with medications with an average duration of effect on the male body are based on substances such as enanthate, cypionate or a mixture of various ester compounds of the hormone (the drug Sustanol). Under the trademarks "Testen" and "Testosterone Depot" they produce entanant-based medications. These medications are used 2 or 3 times over 7 days. Medicines based on cypionate are used with the same frequency. Among the means of medium-term exposure, medications based on ether compounds have the greatest effectiveness. They are produced by many pharmaceutical companies under the names Omnadren and Sustanol. The latter drug has a synergistic effect, that is, the effectiveness of the total effect of each of its components is less than the overall effectiveness of their mixture. Sustanol includes substances such as propionate, phenylpropionate, isocapronate, decanoate. Due to the different absorption rates of these components, Sustanol begins to affect the man’s body quite quickly, the duration of action of this remedy is 20-30 days. The only drawback of Sustanol is its high cost.
3. Medicines that can supply testosterone to a man’s body for a long time include a drug called Nebido that recently appeared on the pharmaceutical market. It is based on the hormone undecaonate. The main advantage of this medicine is that it can act for 70 - 90 days. A positive aspect when it penetrates a man’s body is that it is not immediately released in the blood plasma, as is the case with the above-mentioned medicinal products. When using Nebido, testosterone is released gradually, and this has a very good effect on a man’s well-being. When using other drugs, there is often a sharp increase in the level of the hormone in the blood, which leads to unwanted fluctuations in a person’s mood and can adversely affect his libido. After Nebido was administered to the patient, doctors did not observe such undesirable consequences. The only drawback of the drug is the relatively high price.

Anti-obesity applications

The presence of a lot of weight in a man sharply impairs the activity of a hormone such as testosterone. At the same time, fat begins to accumulate and becomes more and more abundant, which increases the patient’s weight and leads to problems with health and the ability to move normally. A vicious circle arises: excess weight inhibits hormone synthesis, and this leads to the formation of even more fat.

This vicious circle can be broken by injecting the patient with testosterone. According to the latest data obtained by German doctors, a course of such treatment allows you to lose excess weight relatively quickly without using various diets and physical exercises.

During the research, doctors observed more than 100 men who were about 60 years old. 2/3 of patients diagnosed with obesity and 1/3 of males who complained of being overweight were selected. Once every 3 months, these people were given injections containing testosterone. After 5 years, the doctors summed up the results. It turned out that by the end of the above-mentioned period, almost everyone lost weight.

The average weight loss was about 16-17 kg.

Scientists note that during the experiment, men were prohibited from using various diets, and most of them did not go to gyms or exercise. Since testosterone in large doses can lead to the development of a cancerous tumor on the prostate gland and the development of various manic disorders, in order to avoid side effects, doctors administered relatively low doses of the hormone to the volunteers. Of the hundred men who participated in the experiment, only three were diagnosed with prostate cancer after five years of using the injections. This figure is significantly lower than global statistics among people of this age.

Find out your potency level

When using injections with testosterone, an allergic reaction in the form of a rash on the patient’s skin (acne and various types of rashes) is possible.

If injections of a short and medium period of exposure were used for treatment, then sharp fluctuations in the male patient’s mood and libido are possible.

These drugs can cause a disease called erythrocytosis, characterized by an increase in the level of red blood cells in the blood plasma.

When using the above injections, some patients experienced a sharp decrease in the number of sperm. At the same time, their significant weakening occurred, which led to a decrease in the patient’s reproductive capacity.

Some men showed enlargement of the mammary glands.

But you need to take into account that even if there is a risk of side effects, the benefits of injections with drugs containing testosterone are much greater. They allow you to maintain the level of this hormone in the blood plasma of men at the required level.

Thanks to athletes such as Berry Bonds and Rogert Clemens, the term "testosterone" is now strongly associated with the term "steroids" (athletes injecting themselves with additional doses of testosterone to enhance athletic performance). Many men (and women too) still do not understand exactly what testosterone is, constantly listening to all sorts of fairy tales in transport, on TV, reading “smart magazines”. Let's try to dispel some myths.

1. Testosterone is illegal. Yes, don’t be surprised - such a myth exists, and it is very common, especially after the incident mentioned above. That's right, it can be injected to enhance "masculine" qualities - increasing libido, muscle tone, strengthening bones, and so on. All this is true, but testosterone is an absolutely natural organic compound produced by the body itself. Those men who have low testosterone levels have to undergo a course of treatment by injecting additional doses into their blood. Testosterone is sold in any pharmacy completely openly.

2. Testosterone is a steroid, and steroids are dangerous. Yes, in a certain sense of the word testosterone is indeed a steroid, but it is absolutely not dangerous. True, if you introduce increased doses of testosterone, you can harm yourself. But the chemical steroids used by athletes are really harmful; their effect resembles the effect of testosterone, enhanced several dozen times.

3. Testosterone can cause attacks of aggression and anger.

Absolutely false - there is no evidence that testosterone, even high doses, can cause anger and aggression. Research conducted by scientists has not confirmed this point of view - aggression does not depend in any way on this hormone. On the contrary, sometimes patients of neurologists who have low testosterone levels complain of increased aggression.

4. Testosterone can cause prostate cancer.

New research shows that men with high testosterone levels are no more likely to develop prostate cancer than men with normal or low levels of the hormone. The basis of this myth dates back to research in the 40s of the 20th century, when scientists tried to prove that castrated males do not get prostate cancer. It turned out that such a dependence really exists, but testosterone has nothing to do with it.

5. Elevated testosterone levels cause hair loss.

This myth is extremely old - but it is not clear why and how it arose. Scientists have even conducted extensive research to find out whether this myth is true or not. After analyzing the medical records of many thousands of men (both bald and with “increased hairiness”), it turned out that testosterone levels have no effect on the presence (or absence) of hair on the head.

With age, any man, no matter how healthy a lifestyle he leads, faces the problem of a lack of hormones. Reaching a certain age, the body cannot provide normal levels of testosterone in a man’s blood, which subsequently leads to androgen deficiency. The only complete treatment in this case is to provide the man’s body with testosterone coming from outside, i.e. carry out replacement therapy.

Intramuscular injections of testosterone are one of the types of hormone replacement drugs. In therapy, hormone injections have been used for quite a long time, and have established themselves as a trusted remedy. In addition to the injection method of administering drugs, oral (tablets and capsules), transdermal (gels and), buccal (tablets) administration and subcutaneous implants are used. Each method of hormone administration has its own positive and negative aspects.

Duration of action of injectable forms of testosterone

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Injectable forms of testosterone according to the duration of action are conventionally divided into injections:

• short acting;
• medium action;
• long-acting.

A short-acting drug based on testosterone propionate is administered intramuscularly every 2-3 days. The advantage of this drug is its immediate effect. The main disadvantages are frequent use and pain at the injection site.

Medium-acting drugs include testosterone enanthate, cypionate, and a mixture of testosterone esters (Sustanol). Testosterone enanthate, known under the brand names Testosterone Enanthate, Testen, Testosterone Depot, is used once every 2-3 weeks (Fig. 1). Cypionate has approximately the same duration of action. It is believed that the most effective among medium-acting drugs is a mixture of testosterone esters under the brand names Sustanol and Omnadren. Sustanol contains testosterone propionate, testosterone phenylpropionate, testosterone isocapronoate, testosterone decanoate. The drug has a synergistic effect, i.e. The effectiveness of testosterone esters in combined form is greater than individually. Due to the content of testosterone esters with different absorption rates, Sustanol begins to act quickly and has a long duration of action (3-4 weeks). Among the disadvantages of the drug, one can note its high cost compared to individual testosterone esters.

Rice. 1 - Duration of a single injection of testosterone undecanoate and enanthate.

The latest development of testosterone injection is a long-acting testosterone preparation, the active ingredient of which is testosterone undecaonate (Nebido). The interval between injections of Nebido is 10-14 weeks (Fig. 1), allowing the required level of the hormone to be maintained throughout the entire period. Another advantage of testosterone undecaonate over other injectable testosterone preparations is the gradual release of the hormone in the blood without sharp fluctuations in hormone levels, as with treatment with short-acting drugs. Thanks to this, there are no sudden changes in mood and libido, which are typical when taking short- and medium-acting drugs. The downside of this drug can be considered its cost.

Possible side effects from testosterone injections:

• development of prostate cancer;
• acne and blackheads;
• mood swings and libido (typical for short- and medium-acting testosterone injections);
• development of erictocytosis;
• pain in the injection area;
• decrease in sperm count and;
• development of gynecomastia.

The positive side of testosterone injections is their low cost and the ability to set a high level in the blood if necessary.

Testosterone injections in sports

The main consumers who purchase testosterone injections of various esters are strength athletes. Most often these are bodybuilders, powerlifters, weightlifters, and any other athletes where athletic performance depends on strength indicators. Testosterone injections are valued by athletes for their androgenic and anabolic effects, which provide rapid gains in muscle mass and strength. For a faster and more outstanding effect, athletes use large doses of hormones, much higher than the doses used in replacement therapy. The use of anabolic steroids is prohibited by the sports federation, but this does not affect the popularity of the use of artificial hormones in sports.

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Testosterone injections for men have become, if not a panacea, then still a very effective means of overcoming problems associated with a deficiency of this microelement.

It is known that testosterone regulates a large number of functions in the body and without it a man can become short, weak and practically asexual. In this regard, testosterone injections are widely used at any age and in a variety of cases.

Testosterone begins to be produced in childhood. It reaches its peak at the age of 18-22, then its amount slowly declines. The hormone is necessary for a man until old age, as it performs a number of very important functions in the body:

1. In an adult man, testosterone causes sexual desire, strengthens erections, and increases sperm activity.
2. At the onset of adolescence, thanks to testosterone, boys acquire facial features characteristic of men. Hair appears on it - a mustache and a beard.
3. A normal level of testosterone protects the prostate gland from the formation of tumors in it.
4. This macroelement begins to form the primary sexual characteristics of a man in the womb.
5. The hormone takes part in human metabolism.
6. Strengthens bone tissue throughout life, and accelerates this process as the child grows.
7. Increases a man's muscle mass. Thanks to this, a man's figure becomes more masculine.
8. Without testosterone in men, mental problems begin. Thus, it became clear that it stabilizes the mental state, normalizes sleep and helps maintain mental clarity in the most difficult stressful situations.

Although testosterone is considered a purely male hormone, it also takes an active part in the metabolism of women. It also regulates the girl’s puberty and helps with the formation of the mammary glands.

When should you inject testosterone?

When and how to inject testosterone, the doctor decides. And only on the basis of the results of a full examination and analysis. After all, hormonal therapy is a very complex process and any error in the dosage or regimen of the drug can lead to irreversible consequences.

Hormone injection is prescribed in the following cases:

1. With acromegaly, a pathology expressed in an increase in the size of certain parts of the body.
2. With prostate hypertrophy.
3. With underdevelopment of primary sexual characteristics.
4. During male menopause.
5. In case of impotence caused by disruption of the endocrine system.
6. With low sperm count.
7. With pathology manifested by the loss of a man, masculine features in the figure and face. This disease is called eunuchoidism.
8. After undergoing surgery on the reproductive system, for example, after gender reassignment.
9. Excess weight is harmful not only to health, but also to life itself. Therefore, a course of testosterone treatment is prescribed as part of the fight against excess weight.
10. Since testosterone is a major component in the strengthening and growth of bone tissue, it must be taken as a medicine for osteoporosis - weakening of bone tissue.

There are other cases when a testosterone injection is necessary. For example, it is given to women as part of the fight against menopausal changes or if their body produces too much estrogen. An injection with the hormone helps with endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Even with psychological deviations and diminished sexual desire.

Testosterone injections are widely used in elite sports. It helps strengthen bones and increase muscle mass, which is a necessary condition for victory in many sports. It is clear that these procedures are not approved by the International Olympic Committee. However, it is impossible to control the increased level of the hormone in the blood during competitions, because it is especially strongly produced in moments of physical and psychological stress. All this allows athletes to take such injections with almost no fear of sanctions. However, you need to understand that a self-prescribed hormonal drug is very dangerous to health.

Types of injections

Testosterone injections come in 3 types and are divided according to the duration of action of the drug. To increase testosterone with a short duration of action, drugs such as testosterone propionate are used. The drug is inexpensive, but also painful. Therefore, it is not very popular.

Drugs of this type begin to act immediately after entering the bloodstream. They restore sexual function, increase the number of sperm in the testes, and have a beneficial effect on the development of the genital organs.

Treatment time and dosage are prescribed by the doctor depending on the general condition of the patient and the severity of his pathology. Over time, testosterone in men begins to develop independence and the need for injections disappears.

But we must clearly remember that the drug cannot be taken in combination with medications for tuberculosis. In this case, the effectiveness of testosterone propionate approaches zero.

Medium-acting injections include drugs such as Sustanon. It is effective for 30 days, has a more complex composition and an oily consistency. This drug is used to treat more severe disorders and costs several times more than quick-acting drugs.

"Sustnon" is prohibited for use if the patient is diagnosed with prostate cancer, chronic renal or liver failure.

Long-acting injections include the drug "Nebido". It is eliminated from the body for more than 30 days due to its thicker consistency. And so much so that before injection into the muscle it has to be heated to a liquid state.

The cost of this drug is almost 2 times higher than the others.

As you can see, these products are connected by one common circumstance - they are all oily liquids. And the thicker the condition, the longer the drug acts on the body.

Contraindications

Injection treatment should not be used for certain conditions and diseases. So injections of any type for diabetes mellitus are extremely dangerous.

There is also individual intolerance to the components of the drug. Therefore, to avoid an allergic reaction, a test is done - a microdose of the drug subcutaneously. And if there are no signs of allergy, you can increase the dose and give an injection intramuscularly.

The drug should not be used for atherosclerosis and hypercalcemia. They are dangerous for blood diseases, such as low coagulability.

Side effects of drugs.

Like most medications and testosterone injections, there are side effects.

1. The fastest and most noticeable effect of the drug is dizziness.
2. Then, cramps in the lower extremities may appear.
3. A man's mental state may change. The consequences of the injection often look like increased nervousness or prolonged depression.
4. One of the effects of the drug is the ability to retain salt in the body. Hence the appearance of swelling in the arms and legs.
5. Drugs that increase testosterone often increase muscle mass, while disrupting metabolism. In this regard, there is a possibility of accumulation of fatty tissue in the body.
6. Complications in the gastrointestinal tract may occur. This manifests itself as frequent constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea.
7. When treating sexual dysfunction, there is a side effect of too much sexual activity. A man’s penis is constantly tense, and the quality of sperm becomes much worse.

In general, the drugs receive a positive assessment from patients. Many who completed the treatment became fathers, others increased their self-esteem, and for others, their metabolism normalized and their weight returned to normal. The main thing is to follow the dosage and everything will be fine.

Testosterone is an important hormone for the male body. In a healthy man’s body it is produced independently; if this does not happen, the man has more feminine features in appearance. With age, men may also experience a decrease in hormone production. The way out of this situation is to increase the hormone by obtaining testosterone from the outside, for example through medical injections.

What is he responsible for?

Why do men need testosterone? This hormone is extremely important for men's health, its main functions are as follows:

• Thanks to the enzyme produced in the body, a man is able to lead a normal and regular sex life.
• Responsible for masculine features in appearance.
• Constant production of testosterone prevents the development of tumor diseases in the prostate gland.
• Affects the growth and development of the genital organs, both external and internal.
• Responsible for regulating spermatogenesis.
• Controls nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism in the body.

Thus, we can conclude that the hormone is an important component for normal life.

Indications for injection use

Injections are given intramuscularly and are indicated for the following disorders:

• Acromegaly is a pathological enlargement of certain parts of the body.
• Sexual underdevelopment.
• Prostate hypertrophy.
• Male menopause.
• Impotence (only if it is caused by a disruption of the endocrine system).
• Oligospermia - a decrease in the number of sperm in the ejaculate.
• Eunuchoidism.
• The period after undergoing castration.

Many people believe that a eunuch is a castrated man (whose testicles have been removed). This is not entirely true. Eunuchoidism is a disease associated with a disorder of the endocrine system. Eunuchs lack hormones from birth; later, as they grow older, these people have irregular facial and body features, a complete absence of any sexual characteristics and underdeveloped genitals.

A castrate is a man whose testes (testicles) have been removed. Typically, testicles are removed for medical reasons, such as testicular cancer, or for gender reassignment. Both the first and second patients simply need injections to maintain men's health.

What are there

Based on the duration of action, there are 3 types of injections:

Short-term injections - the drugs act in the body for a short time, only 3-4 days. They need to be injected quite often, but due to the severe pain during the use of the drug, few people strive to use this particular remedy. This drug is considered to be Testosterone propionate, which is an androgenic agent consisting of testosterone esters.

You can purchase this drug in pharmacies for a relatively inexpensive price - only 400 rubles. Testosterone propionate acts instantly, has a beneficial effect on the functions of the testes, genital organs (external), and the prostate gland. Thanks to this, the reproductive system returns to normal, and high-quality sperm production is noted. The administration of ampoules is prescribed to each patient individually, depending on the severity of the disease and its course. Testosterone propionate should not be used during treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, otherwise there will be no effect from hormone therapy.

Medium-term injections - the effect of the drugs lasts for a month. The injection acts quite quickly and has a synergistic effect. One of these products is Sustanon, which is sold in ampoules and has an oily yellow consistency. The main active ingredient is testosterone propionate, as well as nitrogen, peanut oil and benzyl alcohol. Sustanon costs a lot, about 2000 rubles.

Sustanon is a drug that increases the level of an enzyme in the blood. As a result, the development of the male body occurs correctly. Typically, the dosage is 1 ml of the product with a deep injection into the muscle. Injections should be repeated every 3-4 weeks. It should be remembered that if cancer or hypertrophy of the prostate gland, liver and kidney diseases that occur in a chronic form are diagnosed, Sustanon cannot be used.

Long acting injections - apply the products once every 3 months. The main component of the drugs is testosterone undecaonate. The hormone is gradually removed from the blood, which determines its effective effect on the male body. One such remedy is Nebido. Sold in pharmacies without a prescription, in ampoules with oily contents inside. The price is quite high - about 4000 rubles. The injection is carried out very slowly, after preheating the drug ampoule.

Side effects and patient opinions

Side effects are often observed during drug treatment. A man may experience skin problems such as acne, stretch marks, and seborrhea. The skin of the face may experience loss of elasticity, slight swelling, and pallor. Since the injection is quite painful, a local reaction to the injection may occur. Allergic reactions of the body often occur when using injections.

The following side effects may be noted:

• Slight dizziness.
• The appearance of cramps and pain in the legs.
• Depression and nervousness.
• Retention of fluid and salt in the body, resulting in swelling of the extremities.
• Excess weight.
• Digestive disorders (nausea, diarrhea).

With long-term injections of testosterone-containing products, men may develop gynecomastia (obesity in the mammary glands). When diagnosed with gynecomastia, men are advised to surgically remove fatty tissue from the mammary gland. In addition, atrophy of the mammary glands may develop, and pain often appears in them.

Long-term use of injections for a man can result in hypersexuality. Such representatives of the stronger sex suffer from frequent erections. The duration of use also affects the quality of sperm. The number of sperm decreases significantly, and their motility decreases.