Can Testosterone Supplements Increase Men's Libido?

Introduction 

Today's topic is, can testosterone supplements improve your sex drive? What a controversial topic. There are a lot of advertisements promoting the use of testosterone supplements. But this too much of information makes me wonder if this is the real deal. 

Medical researchers are conducting studies on this topic since there are medical concerns associated with its prolonged use. 

What is testosterone? 

Testosterone, like estrogen, is another sex hormone. Despite being present in both genders, testosterone is principally a male sex hormone, whereas estrogen is a female sex hormone. 

The levels of testosterone vary in body throughout the day. Usually they are at their peak in the morning. In man lifespan, the levels of testosterone start declining from 30 years of age at the rate of 1-2% every 10 years. 

What are testosterone supplements? 

Testosterone supplements are medically designed supplementary products for the purpose of boosting testosterone levels in the body. 

Why a person needs testosterone supplements? 

There can be various causes for a person to use testosterone supplements. 

• They include to increase libido or sex drive
• For improving sexual performance
• To increase energy levels in the body
• For building muscle mass or bone density. 

Although there are various reasons for using these supplements, always remember that these supplements will work efficiently in these concerns only if testosterone levels are originally low. 

If these complaints are due to some other pathology going on in the body, then these supplements won't be able to do much. The approach of using testosterone supplements is only reasonable when your testosterone levels are low according to the medical criteria. 

Sadly, not many men are aware of their testosterone levels are truly low. Or are they just going with the flow of the market? 

How would I know if I'm low on testosterone? 

To know this, we will first discuss the role of testosterone in the human body. 

The hormone testosterone is responsible for maintaining the sex drive, muscle mass, bone density, hair growth and its distribution, testicle and penis growth in men, and reproductive tissue in females. 

What are signs of low testosterone level 

The following could be signs of you having low levels of testosterone. 

1. One of the first things you may notice is the disappearance of your morning wood. These morning erections are the sign of testosterone health. 

2. Low sex drive: No matter how appealing your partner looks, you just don't have the urge of making love with her. 

3. Lethargy, Feeling tired all day long: Not interested in doing anything despite eating and resting well. 

4. Muscle loss and osteoporosis: You could see your muscle mass getting lower and decreasing bone density. This makes you more prone to fractures. 

5. Hair loss: Although there are other factors that play a major role in hair loss like genetics and stress, low testosterone levels could also be the one responsible for the same. 

6. Difficulty sleeping. 

7. Mood swings and etc

Is it safe to use testosterone supplements? 

Using testosterone supplements is safe when we talk about hypogonadism, that is, low levels of testosterone. But if the testosterone levels are normal, the person has a history of blood clots or cardiac conditions, prostate cancer or its risk, and some other medical conditions, it is not safe to take the supplements without your health practitioner's advice. 

What can be the side effects of using testosterone supplements? 

Unnecessary use or its use in contradictory conditions can cause potential side effects which include enlarged breasts, risk of prostate cancer, testicular shrink, acne flares, sleep apnea, and cardiac conditions.

Conclusion 

Testosterone supplement are very important in boasting men's libido if the cause of decreased libido is due to hypogonadism (low testosterone level). But abuse of testosterone supplement to gain some of their benefits is not advisable, because it also carries significant health risk. Always consult your healthcare provider before initiating any supplement.

References 

1. Michael S. Irwig, Maria Fleseriu, Jacqueline Jonklaas, Nicholas A. Tritos, Kevin C.J. Yuen, Ricardo Correa, Georges Elhomsy, Vishnu Garla, Sina Jasim, Kyaw Soe, Stephanie E. Baldeweg, Cesar Luiz Boguszewski, Irina Bancos,

Off-Label Use and Misuse of Testosterone, Growth Hormone, Thyroid Hormone, and Adrenal Supplements: Risks and Costs of a Growing Problem, Endocrine Practice, Volume 26, Issue 3, 2020, Pages 340-353, ISSN 1530-891X,

https://doi.org/10.4158/PS-2019-0540.

2. OberlinD.T. et al, Testosterone replacement therapy and the internet: an assessment of providers' health-related web site information content, Urology (2015).

3. OnasanyaO. et al. Association between exogenous testosterone and cardiovascular events: an overview of systematic reviews, Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol,(2016).

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