Who may qualify for testosterone therapy?

Testosterone therapy replaces a hormone that the body is not making in adequate amounts. In men, this condition is called hypogonadism. Treatment is not meant for everyone who feels tired, has a lower sex drive, or wants to build muscle. Those concerns can have many causes.

Diagnosis usually requires symptoms plus low testosterone levels on two separate early-morning blood tests. For shift workers, a physician may adjust testing to the sleep schedule. Illness, poor sleep, certain medicines, and other health issues can affect results. Additional tests may help find the cause of a low level.

A licensed physician in your state decides whether testosterone therapy is appropriate. The review should include your fertility plans, sleep health, blood count, heart health, and prostate history. Age-related changes alone do not establish a need for treatment.

Do not start testosterone based only on a home test or someone else’s prescription. Ask the physician which tests you need and whether another health condition should be addressed first.