Sign up for HEALTHBeat and receive trusted health information delivered right to your inbox. If your doctor can identify the source for declining levels—for instance, weight gain or a particular medication—he or she may first address that problem. For example, low-t can speed bone loss, so your doctor may recommend a bone density test to see whether you also need treatment for osteoporosis. For instance, being overweight, having diabetes or thyroid problems, and taking certain medications, such as glucocorticoids and other steroids, can affect levels. Testosterone levels peak by early adulthood and drop as you age—about 1% to 2% a year beginning in the 40s. Testosterone also fosters the production of red blood cells, boosts mood, keeps bones strong, and aids thinking ability. Produced by the testicles, it is responsible for male characteristics like a deep voice, muscular build, and facial hair. It's important for healthy skin, so you may actually end up with a better complexion. This isn't a big deal for most people, he says, and its more common to see it if you're taking a non-daily treatment like an injection, where you're getting a higher dose of T in one sitting. One of the most important things to know about testosterone therapy is that it can decrease sperm production and pose a risk of infertility. The effect of a testosterone replacement dose on your muscles, however, is fairly minimal. Once skin oil is over-produced, a domino effect results – leading to the beginning of acne. A study published in the journal Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology in 2022 may help explain why higher androgen levels do not always seem to correspond to more acne. By the end of the 10 weeks, the amount of testosterone in the blood of the 21 men who were receiving testosterone injections was several times greater than normal. The experiment was conducted on 43 healthy men, 21 of whom received testosterone injections every week for 10 weeks, while the other 22 received a placebo (an identical-looking injection without any testosterone). The next study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1996, also looked at the effects of giving testosterone to healthy men. The authors of the study wrote, "Half the men…noted mild acne, which resolved during the posttreatment period. A third study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 1994, set out to investigate the effects of giving healthy men high doses of testosterone. There are no clearly useful treatments for stretch marks, although there are many different suggestions on how to remove them or lessen their appearance. A systematic review has not found evidence that creams and oils are useful for preventing or reducing stretch marks in pregnancy. These skin marks are symptoms of pregnancy caused by the tearing of the dermis, resulting in atrophy and loss of rete ridges. Eliminating any external source of high T levels is often the first line of treatment for high T caused by medication or steroid use. However, researchers also noted no significant change in the ratio between free testosterone, total testosterone, and cortisol, a type of stress hormone. Another small study in young males showed that masturbation paired with visual stimulus led to increased concentrations of free testosterone. You may notice an increase in muscle mass throughout your body. Changes in your sexual health could be a sign of abnormal T levels. Let’s get into how you can recognize the signs of high T levels in people with penises and people with vulvas, how it’s diagnosed, and what to do about it. This hormonal imbalance often results in uneven muscle development, with strations becoming more apparent. This disruption leads to uneven muscle fiber formation, causing strations to appear more prominently. Additionally, listening to the body’s signals, such as pain or fatigue, and addressing them promptly can prevent minor issues from becoming chronic. Gradual progression in intensity and duration of activities allows muscles to adapt without being overwhelmed. Incorporating cross-training, stretching, and strength conditioning exercises can distribute the workload across different muscle groups, reducing the strain on any single area. For example, athletes and bodybuilders sometimes use anabolic steroids to improve athletic performance and build muscle mass. A person should contact a doctor if they experience signs or symptoms of high testosterone. Free testosterone is testosterone in the body that is not attached to proteins. A 2022 analysis found that free testosterone may have links with prostate cancer, including early onset prostate cancer and aggressive prostate cancer. Testosterone is essential for health, but too much may increase the risk of health problems, such as an enlarged prostate gland.
