How is low testosterone treated?

Low testosterone is treated with testosterone replacement therapy, which can be given in several different ways:

(Oral testosterone is not approved for use in the United States.)

Potential benefits of testosterone replacement therapy may include:

The side effects of testosterone replacement therapy include:

Laboratory abnormalities that can occur with testosterone replacement include:

If you are taking hormone replacement therapy, regular follow-up appointments with your physician are important.

Guidelines suggest discussing the potential risk vs. benefit of evaluating prostate cancer risk and prostate monitoring. The doctor and patient will decide together regarding prostate cancer monitoring. For patients who choose monitoring, clinicians should assess prostate cancer risk before starting testosterone treatment, and 3 to 12 months after starting testosterone:

Testosterone replacement therapy may cause the prostate to grow. If a man has early prostate cancer, there is concern that testosterone may stimulate the cancer's growth. Therefore, men who have prostate cancer should not take testosterone replacement therapy. It is important for all men considering testosterone replacement therapy to undergo prostate screening before starting this therapy.

Other men who should not take testosterone replacement therapy include those who have:

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/10/2018.

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Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism) Management and ...