Should you be taking testosterone shots? As the body ages, its ability or inclination towards maintaining high natural elevations of certain hormones declines, which over time can impair health and vitality. In the case of testosterone, the body begins reducing its secretion about 1-1.5% per year from age 30 onward.
To combat this trend many have chosen to try testosterone shots to maintain youthful amounts of the hormone in their system. Is this safe, or practical? Apart from consulting with your physician to determine the exact needs your particular medical case, there were several general considerations you should be aware of before going the route of injections.
Are Testosterone Shots Beneficial?
First, should be aware that while testosterone shots are one of the most cost-effective means of pursuing direct hormone replacement therapy, the results may be only temporary unless it is continued. On average, testosterone levels start to decline in only four days after you’ve had an injection, and can have uneven results by nature of the injection putting a large amount of the hormone into the body at one time. Second, since the testosterone shots are intra-muscular (this shot injects the hormone directly into the muscle tissue to get it absorbed into the blood stream), the highly concentrated dose may increase your aggression and lead to mood swings.
The third thing that is most important to recognize about testosterone shots is that if done wrong, or in excess of what the body can handle, they will lead to side effects. The most common symptoms indicating the body is rejecting the excess testosterone include gynecomastia, we’re loss, water retention, testicular atrophy and other conditions. If these effects persist when taking testosterone shots, it may be best to quit doing them and consider natural forms of testosterone elevation including diet (eating more protein, or anabolic fats like fish oil), performing exercises that trigger testosterone production, such as heavy squats, and other nondrug tactics.