FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Testosterone optimization therapy (TOT) is a medical treatment that aims to restore testosterone levels to a healthy range. The benefits of TOT can vary depending on the individual, but here are some potential advantages:

1. Improved libido and sex drive: Testosterone plays a crucial role in regulating sex drive and erectile function. TOT can help restore a healthy sex life.
2. Increased energy and vitality: Low testosterone levels can lead to fatigue, lethargy, and decreased motivation. TOT can help boost energy levels and overall sense of well-being.
3. Weight loss and improved body composition: Testosterone helps regulate metabolism and fat distribution. TOT can aid in weight loss and improve muscle mass and strength.
4. Enhanced cognitive function: Testosterone has been linked to improved cognitive function, including better memory, concentration, and mood.
5. Improved bone density: Testosterone helps maintain bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
6. Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Low testosterone levels have been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. TOT may help mitigate these risks.
7. Improved mental health: Testosterone has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
8. Improved sleep quality: TOT can help regulate sleep patterns and improve overall sleep quality.
9. Increased muscle mass and strength: Testosterone is essential for muscle growth and maintenance. TOT can help improve muscle mass and strength.
10. Improved overall quality of life: By addressing low testosterone levels, TOT can have a positive impact on overall quality of life, enabling individuals to feel more energetic, confident, and motivated.

It’s essential to note that TOT should only be undertaken under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional. They will help determine if TOT is suitable for you and monitor your progress to ensure safe and effective treatment.

Sources:

– American Urological Association (AUA)

– Endocrine Society

– Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism

– Mayo Clinic

The reason why we send you for baseline blood tests is to obtain a good understanding of your general physiology, as some underlying issues pertaining to kidney, liver, thyroid, glucose metabolism and prostate, may mimic the signs ands symptoms of low testosterone. 

In order to determine your ‘testosterone age’ that was provided to you, we look at your free testosterone level. Free testosterone is the testosterone that is bio-available in your physiology, that can actually cause the positive physiological response we are after. 

The reference range for free testosterone is 180pmol/L to 739pmol/L, which is a very broad range, and was developed by taking bloods from patients aged 18 year of age up to 80 years of age. There is a big difference between an 18 year old and an 80 year old, and we are trying to optimise you towards the levels you had in your late teens/early twenties. This offers massive benefits for health, wellness and longevity.

Any concerns with your blood work would’ve been highlighted in the communication you received that approved you for the therapy based on your current free testosterone levels.

The aim of testosterone optimisation therapy to get your free testosterone levels up to a physiological high normal. That means that we are trying to elevate your free testosterone to a level of 600-750pmol/L. The reason why we aim for the physiological high level, and avoid making your free testosterone levels super-physiological, is to basically mimic what your body is not producing. This ensures that there is no side effect profile, as we are respecting the body’s physiology.

This is done with an option of two treatments:

• Micro-dosing Principle

This entails injecting yourself with small amounts of testosterone cypionate twice a week, normally on a Monday and Thursday. Please see the attached link on how the testosterone is self administered: 

2. Bio-Identical Testosterone Cream

This cream is applied on a daily basis to the skin of the abdomen with a dose metered pump, and is absorbed through the skin into the systemic physiology. One pump of the cream will be your equivalent daily dose. It is rubbed onto the skin of the abdomen. It is advised that this is done after exposure to water, such as a bath or shower, and you should wash your hands after handling the cream to avoid transfer to other people.

We do advise using the injectable treatment as this is the ‘gold standard’ and may be more effective than the cream, but we do understand that some patients are afraid of needles and may prefer using the cream.

In order to ascertain if we have elevated your free testosterone levels to a physiological high, we do follow up blood tests 8 to 12 weeks after you commence the therapy, mainly checking only your testosterone and oestrogen levels, and any other biomarkers that were of concern based on your initial blood-work. 

If your free testosterone levels are within the optimal physiological level, your therapy will continue as initially prescribed. If your levels still need improvement, the concentration of your testosterone vial or cream will be adjusted accordingly with your next delivery. If it is too high, it will be decreased accordingly with your next delivery. This will be communicated with you via email.

If your follow up bloods show minimal increase with the cream, our medical team may advise switching over to the injectable treatment.

Even once we know that we have elevated your free testosterone levels into an optimal level, we still do follow up bloods every 5-6 months, in order to continually monitor your levels and physiology.

This ensures a total medically guided testosterone optimisation programme that gives you peace of mind that your physiology and your health are being monitored on a continuous basis.

At Androlab, we provide you with everything you need. This includes your individually compounded testosterone along with the needles and syringes needed to administer your testosterone.

The service is runs on a monthly subscription basis and the subscription can be cancelled at any time you want to as there are no terms or conditions that lock you in for a set time period. This also includes the courier fee to get your monthly stock to your delivery address of your choice.

Unfortunately the therapy will not be covered by medical aid as we use a compounded testosterone cypionate which does not have a NAPPI code. This means that medical aids will not cover the therapy.

The injectable therapy will always be the ‘gold standard’ of testostetone optimisation therapy, but we are aware that you may have needle phobia, and hence the development of our new testosterone cream. The efficacy of the cream depends on your physiology, and some patients get the same results as they would with the injectable. 

If you do decide to start your optimisation journey with the testosterone cream, and the results are not where we would want them to be, we may advise you to switch over to the injectable form of the treatment.

You can still have children whilst on the therapy, but there may be slight down regulation of your fertility whilst on the therapy. One of the many reasons we favour a micro-dosing protocol, is to preserve your fertility. We do offer short courses of HCG that you can use in conjunction with the therapy to help maintain or even boost your fertility if that is of concern for you. If fertility is a big concern, please feel free to contact our support team and our doctors will guide you accordingly.

There are no major side effects to the therapy, and is extremely safe, as the microdosing principle aims to not violate your physiology,and cause long term issues. Short term side effects may include the following:

• Short term testicular shrinkage which resolves over 2-3 months.
• Transient acne, which only occurs in about 2% of patients and also resolves with time.

There is no risk of hair loss, cancers, heart attacks or cardiovascular disease associated with this therapy, due to the conservative microdosing nature, and the continuous medical monitoring.

You need to give the therapy at least 6-8 weeks before you start to feel a significant difference. With regards to seeing noticeable physical changes, you need to wait about 4-5 months to start seeing a decrease in body fat and increase in muscle mass, provided you are eating correctly and exercising on a regular basis.

You can be on the therapy as life long therapy if you choose to, thanks to the micro-dosing regimen. Your bodies natural production of free testosterone will not stay at the optimal level if you do stop the therapy.

The micro-dosing principle that we use aids in preventing shutdown of your natural production, as we are not making your free testosterone levels ‘super-physiological’. The benefit of this, is that if you need to stop the therapy, your free testosterone levels will return to their appropriate baseline.

The answer to this is no, you don’t need oestrogen blockers or HCG as the microdosing approach ensures that your physiology is being respected and doesn’t require use of these agents, as long-term use of these medications can have negative side effects. We keep it very simple, you just need the testosterone, and nothing else.