Longevity drugs · hormone
Testosterone replacement therapy
Effective for diagnosed hypogonadism; the TRAVERSE trial eased cardiovascular concerns.
Not medical advice — talk to a licensed clinician. Content is educational, reflects published literature, and is not a recommendation to start, stop or change any treatment.
What it is
Prescription testosterone (injection, gel, cream) for men with consistently low testosterone and symptoms.
How it works, in plain English
Restores testosterone to physiologic ranges, supporting libido, muscle, bone density, mood and red blood cell production.
What the human evidence shows
Testosterone Trials (TTrials) showed improvements in sexual function, mood and bone density. TRAVERSE found no increase in major cardiac events vs placebo in at-risk men. Note: TRT can accelerate androgenetic hair loss via DHT.
Regrowth grade B: Moderate human evidence.
Typical protocols in the literature
Weekly or twice-weekly injections, or daily topical, adjusted to trough labs. Fertility-preserving adjuncts are often discussed.
Described for education, not as dosing advice.
Side effects & interactions
Side effects
- Elevated hematocrit
- Suppressed fertility
- Acne, hair shedding (DHT)
- Fluid retention
Interactions
- Anticoagulants
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (alter DHT)
Key studies
- The Testosterone Trials (Snyder et al.)
- TRAVERSE trial (Lincoff et al. 2023)
Citations pending medical review