Testosterone Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information

Testosterone Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information

Prescriptions of testosterone for males over 60 years of age quadrupled from 2001 to 2011. Keep reading for more information on testosterone injections, including their uses, safety, and potential side effects. Contact your care team regarding the use of this medication in children. While this medication may be prescribed for children as young as 12 years of age for selected conditions, precautions do apply. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

They may increase blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. By itself, the drug is moderately priced, but there will also be fees for giving the injection. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your testosterone levels to see if they are low before you begin to use testosterone injection. Testosterone enanthate (available generically) and testosterone pellet (Testopel) are also used to stimulate puberty in males with delayed puberty. Testosterone enanthate (available generically) injection may be used in certain women with a type of breast cancer called mammary cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Testosterone should not be used to treat the symptoms of low testosterone in men who have low testosterone due to aging (‘age related hypogonadism’).

Morgentaler and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort study of data from the Veradigm database, which consists of electronic health record data from ambulatory facilities in the U.S. Men aged 18 years and older who initiated testosterone undecanoate or testosterone cypionate injections from 2014 to 2018 were included. Data were collected in 6-month increments through July 2019. Maintenance of treatment was defined as a gap no more than twice the recommended dosing interval of 20 weeks for testosterone undecanoate or 4 weeks of testosterone cypionate between prescriptions. Treatment adherence was assessed from the date of the first injection until discontinuation, a prescription switch or the end date of the originally prescribed testosterone therapy. Nonadherence in the testosterone cypionate group was defined as a gap of more than 21 days between the end of one prescription and the start of the next. The goal of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is to return serum testosterone levels to within physiologic range and improve symptoms in hypogonadal men.

This medication may also reduce liver function and can cause liver failure. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it. Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles.

Fortesta® 2% testosterone gel is available (both brand and generic) as a metered-dose pump delivering 10 mg of testosterone per actuation. The recommended starting dose is 40 mg (four actuations) applied once daily in the morning to the thighs. The dose can be adjusted in increments of 10 mg, based on serum levels measured two hours after morning application 14 and 35 days after initiation or adjustments. The abundance of testosterone therapy options enables patients to select a product that best aligns with their preferences. Topical products are easy to apply and dose-adjust, but they carry a risk of transference to women and children. Although the transdermal patch is easy to apply, it can cause skin irritation at the application site. Testosterone nasal gel requires multiple applications per day and has nasal side effects.

Testosterone cypionate is a prodrug of testosterone and is an androgen and anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS). Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.

Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage and adjust it over time to reach the dosage that’s right for you. They’ll ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking this medication. The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication.

If reducing the frequency of injections is important to you, Testosterone Cypionate might be a slightly more convenient option—but it’s not a make-or-break factor for most. These changes can significantly impact quality of life, prompting many men to explore treatment options (Saad et al., 2017). Testosterone is a controlled substance regulated by the United States government and must only be taken when prescribed. However, taking some precautionary measures before initiating the therapy is best. Treatments could last for a lifetime or be short term, depending on the individual’s circumstances.

People who are 65 and older can be at greater risk of some side effects from testosterone. Talk to your health care provider about your risks if you are in this age group. Testosterone can cause changes in the lipid (fat) levels in your blood, including cholesterol. Keep all appointments with your health care provider to have your blood checked. Liver damage, also called hepatotoxicity, can happen when using testosterone.