We're here to guide you through your journey to better health and well-being. Symptoms of low testosterone can include fatigue, decreased libido, and muscle weakness. Feel free to ask us any question you would like about TRT, medical weightloss, ED, or other topics related to men's health. Ask us about TRT, medical weightloss, ED, or other men's health topics. In general oral medications tend to be the least successful with the most amount of side effects. However, healthy habits that boost testosterone, like getting good sleep and exercising, certainly won't hurt. Several studies showed that a high-protein diet actually decreased testosterone levels. Obesity is directly linked to low testosterone levels. The best types of exercise to increase your testosterone levels are weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Supplements aren't the only way to increase your testosterone levels naturally. In one yearlong study, 65 men who took 3,300 IU of vitamin D daily increased their testosterone levels by 20% over those who didn't. Long-term zinc supplementation may lead to increased testosterone levels. Results from the TRAVERSE trial were submitted in 2023, concluding that there was no increase in the risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in men using testosterone for hypogonadism. Other side effects include increased hematocrit, which can require venipuncture in order to treat, and exacerbation of sleep apnea. Adverse effects may also include minor side effects such as oily skin, acne, and seborrhea, as well as loss of scalp hair, which may be prevented or reduced with 5α-reductase inhibitors. These include the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio (normally less than 6), the testosterone/luteinizing hormone ratio and the carbon-13/carbon-12 ratio (pharmaceutical testosterone contains less carbon-13 than endogenous testosterone). However, it has been reported that AndroGel, a transdermal gel formulation of testosterone, has become the most popular form of testosterone in androgen replacement therapy for hypogonadism in the United States. Testosterone has been marketed for use by oral, sublingual, buccal, intranasal, transdermal (patches), topical (gels), intramuscular (injection), and subcutaneous (implant) administration. Alternatively, testosterone products for women are available from compounding pharmacies in the United States, although such products are unregulated and manufacturing quality is not ensured. The changes include removing language from the boxed warning related to an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and adding a new warning about increased blood pressure. In February 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specified label changes for products containing testosterone. Another approach being investigated is the detection of the administered form of testosterone, usually an ester, in hair. A number of methods for detecting testosterone use by athletes have been employed, most based on a urine test. This has proven contentious, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport suspending the IAAF policy due to insufficient evidence of a link between high androgen levels and improved athletic performance. Anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS), including testosterone and its esters, have also been taken to enhance muscle development, strength, or endurance. Changes in body composition, erectile dysfunction, and decreased energy can contribute to a bad mood directly, and because they stress you out, which further lowers T. Although not everyone with low testosterone experiences mood swings, there is an established link between the two, with studies noting that this is both physiological and situational (2). You’ll want to wait at least three hours after applying to swim or shower, but you don’t need to take the patch off after you get wet. Choose a different spot for the patch each night to avoid sensitivity and wait at least seven days before applying another patch to a place you’ve already used.
