*2.2.8 Testosterone therapy*

**Therapy Option:** Currently, testosterone therapy is approved primarily for the treatment of delayed male puberty, low production of testosterone and certain inoperable female breast cancers [5].

Testosterone treatment can improve symptoms in men with significantly low levels of active testosterone, such as:


The most common treatment for low testosterone is testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). TRT is given as an injection, a skin patch, or a topical gel containing testosterone that replaces the testosterone missing from the body [8].

Currently, there is no serious risk from acute poisoning with testosterone replacement therapy but chronic use can cause harm. Major risks of using the hormone are those of excessive androgens [12]. These are menstrual irregularities and virilization in women and impotence, premature cardiovascular disease and prostatic hypertrophy in men. It must be noted that both men and women can suffer liver damage with oral anabolic steroids containing a substituted product, 17-alpha-carbon. Again, psychiatric changes can occur during use or after cessation [12]. TRT falls against the recommendations by American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) [14].

**No Therapy Option:** There's no magic solution for boosting testosterone but some natural remedies [9] may help;


#### *Testosterone DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94017*

These five remedies can be of help [9].

Eight (8) hours of sleep in every 24 hour is sufficient [9]. However, reduced hours of sleep have tremendous effects on testosterone level [15].

Low levels of testosterone have been discovered in overweight individuals. For this matter, weight reduction is paramount the no therapy option for treating testosterone related problems.

Scholars [9] have coined that men with hypogonadism often have zinc deficiencies. In other literature [16], it is coined that testosterone deficiency is associated with late-onset hypogonadism. Micronutrients [16], such as copper and zinc influence testosterone synthesis. These coupled with reduced dietary sugary intake and regular physical exercise can treat most of your testosterone related problems [9].

#### *2.2.9 Performing testosterone test*

A normal testosterone level for men is a range of 300 to 1000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) [7]. For women, its normal level is between 15 and 70 ng/dL. However, it is considered normal to have changes in the level of testosterone throughout life [8].

To have testosterone levels checked requires a simple blood test. The test is usually performed in the morning, when T levels are highest. Sometimes, the test needs to be re-taken to confirm the measurements [8].

Some medications affect testosterone levels and so, the clinician or doctor may require one to stop taking such medication before testosterone test is performed. The medications below can artificially increase testosterone levels. They are;


Opiates, in particular, are known to artificially decrease the levels of testosterone [8].

Studies, have confirmed that saliva offers a relatively accurate measurement of testosterone levels. This is especially true when diagnosing male hypogonadism [17]. In an earlier study, it was shown that salivary testosterone, dropped by 47% in 1454 males aged 20-89 years during their life time. However, in a later study (second), it was found that salivary testosterone was strongly correlated with bioavailable testosterone (*p* < 0.000001). It was also strongly correlated with calculated free testosterone (*p* < 0.00001) and total testosterone (*p* < 0.002). Hence forth, salivary testosterone was significantly related to hypogonadal symptoms [17].

However, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee (ACOG) and other scholars, recommend against salivary testing for hormone replacement in females [14].

#### **3. Conclusion**

Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally. Checking testosterone levels is quite important. The levels usually vary and for that matter, single low level may not be meaningful, except in the

#### *Reproductive Hormones*

presence of symptoms related to low T. It is even more meaningless if the level of testosterone was normal at one time. To know when to measure level of testosterone, how best to respond to the results of measurement and when it is necessary to accept the risks of treatment are all areas of more research. Anything less of research might not be helpful.
