A Man’s Guide To TRT In Carlsbad:
Everything You Need To Know

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As men age, their testosterone levels naturally decline, making it essential to maintain healthy levels for longevity and overall well-being. Research shows that testosterone has many beneficial effects on the body.

Research indicates that testosterone significantly reduces amino acid oxidation and boosts muscle protein synthesis, helping to build and maintain lean body mass. If you’re not seeing results in the gym despite proper diet and exercise, you might have low testosterone.

This is only a small part…

Testosterone is essential for male characteristics, including hair growth, muscle size, jawline shape, voice pitch, libido, confidence, metabolism, and bone density. Therefore, testosterone is classified as an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS).

Like human growth hormone (HGH), many factors can positively or negatively impact your body’s natural production of testosterone. These factors usually include:

Positive regulators (these generally increase testosterone)

• Adequate sleep
• Optimal body composition
• Intense exercise, particularly vigorous resistance training
• Periodic abstinence (up to 10 days)

Negative regulators (these typically decrease testosterone)

• Excess weight
• Type 2 diabetes, particularly insulin resistance
• Heavy alcohol consumption
• A diet low in fats (fats are needed for synthesizing androgens)
• Xenobiotics
• Insufficient sleep
• Long-term stress
• Inactive lifestyle
• Extended aerobic exercise

You may have found this article because you are concerned about low testosterone. The next section will discuss common symptoms of low T.

SYMPTOMS OF LOW T (TESTOSTERONE)

The following list outlines the most common signs and symptoms of low testosterone:

• Impotence (erectile dysfunction)
• Lowered libido (sex drive)
• Reduced energy (fatigue)
• Reduced muscle mass and strength
• Depressive symptoms
• Smaller or shrinking testes
• Poor concentration (brain fog) and memory recall
• Decreased red blood cell count (anemia)
• Brittle bones and overall weakness
• Sudden hot flashes
• Reproductive difficulties
• Increase in body fat
• Decrease in body and pubic hair
• Sleep disturbances, including apnea
• Formation of breast tissue (gynecomastia)

Even if you show several (or all) of these symptoms, it’s important to confirm low testosterone with proper blood work. A trained physician at Gameday Men’s Health in Carlsbad can order the necessary tests and help restore your testosterone to healthy levels.

WHAT TO EXPECT ON TRT

If you’ve decided to begin testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), you might be curious about what to expect during the process of restoring your “manhood.”

Depending on the type of testosterone administered, some men experience a decrease in low testosterone symptoms within a month of starting TRT. However, for others, it might take longer to notice improvements in health and well-being. While several weeks or months may seem lengthy, it’s quite rapid in the larger context. It’s important to recognize that TRT addresses a persistent health issue with a long-term solution.

Studies indicate that the immediate advantages of TRT may include feeling more energetic, having a stronger sex drive, experiencing increased vitality, enjoying better sleep, and other positive improvements. Most TRT patients find that waiting for testosterone to take effect is worthwhile.

What THE PROCESS IS LIKE TO GET STARTED

To begin TRT, the first step is to reach out to Gameday Men’s Health and arrange an initial consultation. In this meeting, you’ll discuss your symptoms and gain a better understanding of TRT.

We need blood work from all potential patients. This helps us evaluate the levels of your testosterone (and potentially other related measurements). Getting blood work done before and during TRT is crucial to monitor your red blood cell counts, blood lipids, prostate-specific antigen, and other important biomarkers to ensure they are within a healthy range.

Entrusting a licensed physician to manage the beginning of TRT should provide reassurance, as they are skilled in prescribing the appropriate medication and reducing potential side effects or health issues. If your blood work indicates low testosterone levels, you’re likely eligible for TRT.

If you decide to start TRT with Gameday Men’s Health, you’ll receive a testosterone shot and learn how to self-administer future doses. Alternatively, you can visit the Gameday office for simple weekly TRT injections.

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO INJECT YOURSELF

Fearful of needles? No need to fret, injections are not as scary as they might appear initially. We won’t downplay this process because injections can indeed be challenging for many TRT beginners. Even those who have been on TRT for years may still feel some nervousness when it’s time to inject themselves.

In truth, the needle gauge used for injecting testosterone is very small; after piercing the skin, the needle will smoothly enter your muscle tissue with minimal sensation. The key is to take deep breaths and stay steady while inserting the needle.

You might assume that quickly jabbing the needle will minimize any sensation, but that’s not a very controlled method. Hold the syringe firmly, take a deep breath, and gently penetrate your skin. The needle will smoothly enter your muscle, where you’ll then press the plunger to release the testosterone. (You might feel a slight muscle twitch, but it’s usually not painful, more of a reflex.)

The injection process usually lasts no more than 15 seconds. Always ensure a sterile environment. Clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe beforehand to disinfect the skin, and never reuse needles or syringes to minimize the risk of infections.

Injecting testosterone means placing an oil depot into muscle tissue, slowly releasing it into the bloodstream (for days or weeks, depending on the ester). As a result, you might feel soreness at the injection site for a few days afterward. This is normal and usually goes away on its own. Massaging the muscle and applying a warm gel pack for 5-10 minutes can help relieve any soreness or stiffness.

DO I HAVE TO INJECT MYSELF ON TRT?

If you struggle with self-injection, Gameday Men’s Health provides quick injection appointments for our TRT patients. This is a popular choice for many new to TRT, as you can simply relax and allow us to administer the injection for you.

If you’d rather perform the injections at home, you can also ask a friend or family member to assist you with the first few.

In the long run, it’s advantageous for you to be able to administer TRT injections on your own. It may not always be feasible to rely on someone else for injections, especially if you live alone or value privacy regarding your TRT.

Take a deep breath and stay calm, you can handle this.

WHAT BENEFITS YOU NOTICE FIRST ON TRT

It’s natural to feel eager to see results after your first TRT injection. However, it’s important to remember that results take time. TRT is not a quick fix; it’s a commitment to long-term health.

However, many TRT patients experience improvements in their health and well-being within the first month of starting treatment. Some short-term benefits may include:

• Heightened libido or sex drive
• Improvement in erectile quality
• Increase in energy levels and focus
• Enhanced vitality
• Improved quality of sleep cycles

Potential long-term advantages of TRT include:

• Improved exercise recovery capacity
• Increased confidence
• Assistance in maintaining a healthy body composition
• Growth of facial hair
• Enhancement of bone and joint wellness
• Enhanced production of red blood cells

While there could be additional advantages to TRT, it’s crucial to understand that each person’s response to testosterone can differ. Some individuals may feel the benefits sooner with a low dose, while others may require a higher dose and more time to respond. If you don’t notice any improvements after several months, it’s important to talk to your doctor for further evaluation.

TRT is a personalized treatment, so it’s not suitable to compare your regimen with others’. It often involves trial and error in the beginning, and the time it takes to see benefits differs for each person.

THINGS YOU DIDN’T EXPECT ON TRT

It’s important to mention some unexpected experiences you might encounter with TRT. Exogenous testosterone, being a drug, can cause side effects, similar to other medications.

Beginning exogenous testosterone intake can lead to a decrease in your body’s natural (endogenous) testosterone production. This occurs because of the negative feedback loop controlled by your pituitary gland, which regulates testosterone production.

In healthy individuals, the pituitary gland produces luteinizing hormone (LH), which signals the testes to produce testosterone, maintaining levels within a suitable range. The pituitary’s negative feedback loop acts as a “shutdown” mechanism for your body’s internal testosterone production pathway, as you’re receiving all the testosterone you need from an external source.

Naturally, your body stops making testosterone because it’s getting it externally. This can cause your testicles to shrink since less LH is produced (leading to less testosterone made in the testes). You might also have fewer sperm, which could be a problem if you want kids.

Solutions exist for these concerns, and one method is to combine human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) with TRT. HCG, similar to LH made by the pituitary gland, is usually produced in females during pregnancy. While it’s commonly used off-label for weight loss, HCG also has proven benefits for improving fertility and increasing testicle size in males by stimulating testosterone production in the testes, as LH would.

TAKE-HOME POINTS ABOUT TRT

Opting for TRT is a significant choice for any man. Testosterone, the most powerful androgen your body creates, plays a vital role in defining your masculinity in all aspects.

Evolutionarily, men required elevated testosterone levels to fuel their instinctual drive to hunt and safeguard their families. In contemporary society, individuals with higher testosterone levels tend to experience longer lifespans, increased vitality, and greater confidence.

Naturally, experiencing low T is a significant concern as it means you’re deficient in the hormone essential for male characteristics. TRT can profoundly impact the lives of many men, supported by clear research demonstrating its benefits.

We trust this guide provided you with a clearer understanding of what to anticipate on TRT and how to initiate the process to return your testosterone levels to a healthy state. Stay tuned to the Gameday Men’s Health Blog for upcoming articles addressing your inquiries and worries regarding male health and well-being!

REFERENCES

1. Brodsky, I. G., Balagopal, P., & Nair, K. S. (1996). Effects of testosterone replacement on muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis in hypogonadal men–a clinical research center study. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 81(10), 3469-3475.
2. Bassil, N., Alkaade, S., & Morley, J. E. (2009). The benefits and risks of testosterone replacement therapy: a review. Therapeutics and clinical risk management, 5, 427.
3. Dohle, G. R., Smit, M., & Weber, R. F. A. (2003). Androgens and male fertility. World journal of urology, 21(5), 341-345.
4. Shores, M. M., Moceri, V. M., Sloan, K. L., Matsumoto, A. M., & Kivlahan, D. R. (2005). Low testosterone levels predict incident depressive illness in older men: effects of age and medical morbidity. The Journal of clinical psychiatry.