Low testosterone
You shouldn’t feel this worn down at your age.
Low energy. Brain fog. Less drive. Less interest in sex. Training hard and wondering where the response went.
There are two prescription paths for confirmed low testosterone, and they work in opposite directions. Enclomiphene stimulates your body to produce more of its own. Testosterone cypionate supplies it from outside. Which one fits depends on why your testosterone is low — and on whether you still plan to have children.
First the answer. Then the treatment.
Start My Low T EvaluationPrescription treatment only if medically appropriate. Laboratory confirmation required before any prescription.
In short
Low testosterone cannot be diagnosed from symptoms alone, so every Embrace Low T prescription requires laboratory confirmation first — at minimum a total testosterone result and a hematocrit result. If you have results from the last 6 months you can send them to the clinical team; if not, you purchase a hormone panel and complete it before a prescription decision is made. Once labs are reviewed, a licensed clinician determines which of two paths is appropriate. Enclomiphene is an oral medication that acts on hormonal feedback to stimulate your body's own testosterone production, and in clinical studies of men with secondary hypogonadism it raised testosterone, LH and FSH while maintaining sperm concentrations; it is $129 for 50 tablets and is not FDA approved as a standalone drug. Testosterone cypionate is an injectable testosterone replacement that supplies the hormone directly, suppresses LH and FSH, and reduces sperm production — which is why clinicians most often discuss it with men who have completed their families. Neither medication is prescribed automatically, and no specific outcome is guaranteed.
The problem isn’t just a low number
Nobody lies awake worried about a laboratory reference range. You notice what changed.
Getting out of bed feels harder.
The second half of the workday hits differently.
The drive at the gym is not there.
Your sex drive has changed.
You sit down to get something done and your head feels slower than it should. Maybe recovery feels different. Maybe morning erections are less consistent. Maybe you’re less motivated. Less assertive. Less interested.
And eventually you start wondering whether this is just you now. That question can mess with you, because you’re still trying. You train. You work. You eat reasonably well. You’ve probably bought supplements. Maybe you’ve optimized your sleep. Maybe you’ve taken zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, ashwagandha, tongkat ali or whatever somebody online told you would boost testosterone.
And you still feel off.
Fatigue does not automatically mean low testosterone.
Low libido does not automatically mean low testosterone.
Brain fog does not automatically mean low testosterone.
Poor gym progress does not automatically mean low testosterone.
Sleep disorders, medications, obesity, stress, illness, thyroid disorders and other conditions may cause similar symptoms. A diagnosis of hypogonadism requires compatible symptoms plus consistently low testosterone measurements. That is why the first question should not be “which testosterone product should I buy?” but “what is actually going on?” — and why the first step is a blood panel rather than a checkout.
Two directions, not two brands
Almost every Low T marketing page presents treatments as a menu of similar products at different prices. They are not similar. The two prescription approaches move the hormonal system in opposite directions, and that difference is the whole decision.
Your brain and pituitary help tell your testes how much testosterone to produce. Two signals carry that instruction: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Those same signals drive sperm production.
Enclomiphene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator, or SERM. In appropriate men with secondary hypogonadism, it acts on estrogen feedback within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis to increase LH and FSH — turning the system up.
Testosterone cypionate does the opposite. By supplying testosterone from outside, it tells the system it has enough, and LH and FSH fall. Serum testosterone rises, but the body’s own production and sperm production decline.
Neither direction is universally correct. One preserves the signaling; the other overrides it. Which is appropriate depends on why your testosterone is low, your medical history, and whether you still want children.
The difference in one picture
Both approaches can raise serum testosterone. What happens to the rest of the system is where they diverge.
Enclomiphene — stimulate your own production
Step 1
Modulates estrogen feedback upstream.
Step 2
LH and FSH signaling increase.
Step 3
The testes receive stronger endogenous signals.
Step 4
The body’s own testosterone production can increase.
What that means
Clinical trials in selected men with secondary hypogonadism found that sperm concentrations were maintained during enclomiphene treatment while they declined with testosterone gel. This does not mean enclomiphene guarantees fertility — individual results vary, and fertility requires much more than testosterone alone. It also depends on a functioning testicular response, so it is not a solution for primary testicular failure.
Testosterone cypionate — replace it directly
Step 1
Testosterone comes in from outside the body.
Step 2
Serum testosterone rises directly and predictably.
Step 3
LH and FSH signaling are suppressed.
Step 4
Sperm production can decline substantially.
What that means
Replacement does not depend on your testes responding to a signal, which is why it remains an option when enclomiphene would not work. The trade-off is the suppression of your own signaling. The Endocrine Society recommends against starting exogenous testosterone in men planning fertility in the near term — which is precisely why this conversation goes differently for a man who has finished having children.
What you’re actually trying to get back
We are not going to promise that a prescription will turn you into a different man. That’s not medicine. What we can do is investigate whether low testosterone is contributing to what you’re experiencing.
“I want my battery back.”
You’re tired of feeling like your energy is running at 50 percent. Treatment may be considered when symptoms and properly confirmed laboratory findings support hypogonadism.
“I want my head to feel clear again.”
Brain fog can have many causes. If hormonal dysfunction is one of them, you deserve to know.
“I’m putting in the work. Why am I not getting the response I used to?”
Training, nutrition and recovery still matter. Hormone treatment does not replace them. But unexplained changes deserve proper evaluation rather than another random supplement.
“I want to understand what happened to my sex drive.”
Low libido is multifactorial. Testosterone may be part of the picture for some men. It may not be the entire answer. That is precisely why Embrace evaluates the man rather than selling one symptom as proof of Low T.
“I may want kids. I don’t want to ignore that.”
Future fertility can materially change the treatment conversation, and it is the single clearest factor separating the two paths on this page. Raise it in your intake even if you are unsure.
“My family is complete. I just want to feel like myself again.”
Then the fertility trade-off that rules TRT out for some men may simply not apply to you. That does not make replacement automatically correct — but it removes the constraint that most often decides against it.
Why Embrace is different
A lab result can improve while a person still says “I still feel off.” That is why our model is bigger than questionnaire → prescription → bottle.
Embrace is designed around a different question: did the treatment actually improve what matters?
1. Start with the symptoms
Tell us what changed. Energy, libido, mental clarity, motivation, training, recovery, sleep, body composition, sexual health.
2. Establish whether Low T is actually present
Symptoms alone are not enough. Laboratory confirmation is required before any prescription — a total testosterone result and a hematocrit result at minimum. Current endocrine guidance calls for symptoms plus consistently low testosterone, generally confirmed through repeat early-morning testing.
3. Look at the type of hormonal problem
Low testosterone is not one disease. Testing such as LH and FSH can help clinicians distinguish primary testicular dysfunction from secondary hypothalamic or pituitary dysfunction. That distinction is what determines whether stimulating your own production is even possible.
4. Ask about your family plans before choosing a path
Fertility intent is not a footnote here. It is the clearest single factor separating enclomiphene from testosterone replacement, and it should be discussed before a medication is selected rather than after.
5. Treatment is selected by a clinician
You do not choose a medication or a dose from a dropdown because you think more must be better. Your clinician decides whether treatment is appropriate and, if so, what medication and strength make sense.
6. Track the human result
A testosterone number matters. So does the person attached to it. Embrace brings sleep, weight, body composition, nutrition, fitness, recovery, sexual health, symptoms and labs together so your treatment does not live in isolation from the rest of your health.
The goal is not simply “your testosterone went up.” The better question is: are you actually doing better?
How treatment actually works here
One prerequisite and two paths. The prerequisite is not optional, and the paths are chosen by a clinician rather than by you.
Step one — required for everyone
No Low T prescription happens without a panel.
This is not a formality and it is not an upsell. Low testosterone cannot be diagnosed from symptoms, because fatigue, low libido, brain fog and poor training response all have many possible causes. A clinician needs numbers before making any prescribing decision — for enclomiphene or for testosterone cypionate.
At minimum that means a total testosterone result and a hematocrit result. Total testosterone under 250 ng/dL is acceptable to treat, against a normal physiological range of 450–1000 ng/dL. Hematocrit should fall within 41–50%, which matters especially before testosterone replacement, since testosterone can raise red blood cell counts further.
There are two ways to satisfy this. You already have results, or you do not.
TRT Evaluation + Quest Labs
If you do not have recent labs
See current panel pricing
Purchase, complete, and your results are reviewed before any prescription decision.
A laboratory panel covering the biomarkers a clinician needs to evaluate low testosterone and to establish a safe baseline before hormone therapy.
This is the panel to choose if you are monitoring testosterone for hormone replacement therapy or assessing prostate health alongside your hormone status.
- Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone
- Hematocrit
- PSA — prostate-specific antigen
- E2 — estradiol
- SHBG — sex hormone-binding globulin
- Albumin
You must complete the panel before enclomiphene or testosterone cypionate can be prescribed.
Already have recent labs?
If your own doctor has tested you
No purchase needed
Send your existing results to the Embrace clinical team instead. There is no reason to pay for a panel you have already had done.
Results are considered current and valid if they were performed within the last 6 months, during a period without supplementation or changes in supplementation.
Check what your results actually include before assuming they are sufficient. A single total testosterone value from a routine physical often will not contain the hematocrit, PSA or estradiol a clinician wants before starting hormone therapy. If something is missing, you may still need a panel.
Submit your results with your medical intake. Your clinician will tell you if anything further is required.
Path one — stimulate
Enclomiphene: for men who want to keep their own signaling intact.
Instead of supplying testosterone from outside your body, enclomiphene is designed to stimulate the hormonal signals involved in your own testosterone production. It is taken as an oral tablet — no injections, no gels, no transfer risk to a partner or child.
Clinical studies of enclomiphene in men with secondary hypogonadism found increases in testosterone, LH and FSH. Testosterone gel also raised testosterone, but suppressed LH and FSH. That difference is the reason a clinician might choose it.
It is most often discussed with younger men, men who may want children in future, and men who would prefer not to override their own hormonal axis if there is an alternative. It depends on the testes responding to an upstream signal, so it is not appropriate where the underlying problem is primary testicular failure.
Enclomiphene 12.5 mg
Oral — once daily
$129
50 tablets. Includes online visit, shipping and ongoing care. Dose selected by the prescribing clinician.
An oral selective estrogen receptor modulator studied as a treatment for men with secondary hypogonadism. It does not contain testosterone.
Enclomiphene is not FDA approved as a standalone drug. When dispensed as a compounded medication, the compounded drug itself is not FDA approved, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or manufacturing quality through the same premarket process used for approved products.
- No injections
- Raised LH, FSH and testosterone in studied men
- Sperm concentrations maintained in trial populations
- Requires a functioning testicular response
Not a fertility treatment and not a guarantee of fertility preservation. Individual results vary.
Path two — replace
TRT injections: for men whose families are complete and who want their energy back.
There is a specific man this suits well. He is somewhere in his forties or fifties. He has had his children and is not planning more. His testosterone has been drifting down for years and the panel finally confirms it. He is not looking to optimize anything — he wants to stop feeling like a diminished version of himself.
For that man, the objection that rules replacement out for others simply does not apply. TRT suppresses LH and FSH and reduces sperm production. If future fertility is not part of the plan, that trade-off is a different conversation entirely — and replacement offers something enclomiphene cannot. It works regardless of whether your testes still respond to an upstream signal, and it raises testosterone directly and predictably rather than depending on how well your own axis responds.
Testosterone cypionate is a long-acting injectable ester, typically administered weekly or every other week on a schedule your prescriber sets. Because it is injected rather than applied to the skin, there is no risk of transferring testosterone to a partner or child through contact — a real consideration in households with young children, and one that gels carry a warning about.
It is a Schedule III controlled substance. It requires ongoing laboratory monitoring rather than a set-and-forget prescription, because testosterone can raise red blood cell counts, because blood pressure needs watching, and because prostate health needs watching. That monitoring is part of treatment, not an optional extra.
One thing worth being precise about: testosterone replacement treats confirmed testosterone deficiency. It is not a treatment for aging, for fatigue on its own, for erectile dysfunction, for weight gain, for disappointing gym results or for low motivation. Those symptoms have many possible causes, and current endocrine guidance is explicit that low energy, libido and mood should not be assumed to be hormonal. If your panel comes back normal, testosterone is not your answer — and that is a result worth having.
And if what is actually bothering you is body composition rather than testosterone — you lost the weight and the mirror still disappoints you — that is a different conversation with your clinician, not an add-on to this one. There is a separate page for it below.
TRT Evaluation + Labs
Testosterone cypionate — injectable, long-acting
Evaluation and lab pricing shown at checkout
You are purchasing the evaluation pathway. Testosterone cypionate is dispensed only if a physician prescribes it after reviewing your results. Concentration, vial size and injection schedule are determined by the prescribing clinician.
A long-acting injectable form of testosterone used for replacement therapy in men with confirmed hypogonadism. Testosterone replacement is indicated for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone.
Most appropriate for men who are not planning future fertility, because exogenous testosterone suppresses the hormonal signals required for sperm production.
Testosterone cypionate is a Schedule III controlled substance available only by prescription following clinical evaluation and laboratory testing. It is not appropriate for men with breast cancer or known or suspected prostate cancer, and requires careful evaluation in men with cardiovascular disease, elevated hematocrit, untreated sleep apnea or certain other conditions.
- Raises testosterone directly and predictably
- Works independently of your own hormonal signaling
- Weekly or every-other-week schedule, not daily
- No skin-contact transfer risk, unlike topical gels
- Requires ongoing hematocrit and prostate monitoring
Completing an evaluation does not guarantee a prescription. Suppresses sperm production — not appropriate if you are planning fertility in the near term. Discuss fertility goals with your clinician before starting.
What happens next
Five steps, and the first two happen before any medication decision is made.
Start your confidential Low T evaluation
Tell us what’s happening and provide the health information your clinician needs — including whether you may want children in future.
Get your labs in
Send recent results from the last 6 months, or purchase a panel and complete it. Either way, a clinician reviews your numbers before any prescription decision.
Review your options
If you qualify for treatment, your clinician determines whether enclomiphene, testosterone cypionate or another approach is appropriate — based on your numbers, your history and your fertility plans.
Receive treatment if prescribed
Medication is dispensed only following a prescription from a licensed clinician and according to applicable law. Shipping is included and packaging is discreet.
Follow up and re-test
Your clinician determines your monitoring, laboratory and follow-up requirements. This matters more on replacement therapy, where hematocrit and prostate monitoring are part of ongoing care rather than optional.
No automatic prescription. Eligibility, medication and dose are determined by a licensed clinician.
“Why do I have to pay for a blood test first?”
Because a clinician cannot responsibly prescribe hormone therapy without knowing your numbers, and because the alternative — prescribing from a symptom questionnaire — is exactly the practice that has given telehealth hormone clinics their reputation.
If you already have results from the last 6 months, send them. You will not be charged for a panel you do not need. That is not a grudging exception; it is the expected path for anyone whose own doctor has already run the labs.
And if the panel shows your testosterone is normal, that is a useful result too. It means the fatigue has another cause, and you have stopped guessing — which is worth more than another six months of supplements aimed at a problem you do not have.
“Which one should I pick — enclomiphene or TRT?”
You don’t pick. Your clinician does, and the reason is not paternalism. The two medications suit different underlying problems, and the panel is what reveals which problem you have.
If your pattern is secondary hypogonadism and you may want children, enclomiphene is likely the conversation. If your family is complete and your testes are no longer responding well to upstream signals, replacement is likely the conversation. Some men are candidates for neither.
What you can do is come prepared. Know your fertility plans. Know what you have tried. Bring your labs if you have them. That is what makes the clinical decision a good one.
“Isn’t TRT something you’re stuck on for life?”
Testosterone replacement generally requires continued use to sustain benefit, and stopping usually means symptoms return — often alongside a period where your own production has not yet recovered. That is a real commitment and you should understand it before starting rather than after.
It is also one of the honest arguments for discussing enclomiphene first in men who are candidates for it, and one of the reasons fertility intent matters so much in the decision.
Discuss duration, monitoring, what stopping would involve, and what your plan looks like in five years with your clinician. If a provider does not raise any of that, ask.
“Will it make me feel like my old self?”
Maybe your symptoms are related to testosterone. Maybe only some of them are. Maybe none of them are.
That may sound less exciting than “get your edge back in 30 days.” But it is a much more useful answer.
Clinical studies show enclomiphene can raise testosterone in appropriately selected men with secondary hypogonadism, and testosterone replacement reliably raises serum testosterone. Neither proves that every man will experience improvements in energy, libido, mood, cognition, muscle growth, fat loss, athletic performance, confidence or fertility. Those outcomes should never be guaranteed.
“I’ve already tried everything.”
Maybe you have. You’ve improved your sleep. Changed your diet. Lost weight. Lifted weights. Taken supplements. Cut alcohol. Bought the testosterone booster, then changed the testosterone booster. Added zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and something you heard about on a podcast.
And you’re still here.
Then perhaps the next experiment should not be another supplement. It should be information. Find out whether your hormones are actually abnormal. Find out why. Then decide what makes sense.
Who should not assume hormone treatment is the answer?
Men who have never been properly evaluated. Men who simply want higher testosterone for bodybuilding or enhancement. Men assuming every symptom they have is caused by testosterone.
For enclomiphene specifically: men whose underlying problem involves primary testicular failure, where stimulating upstream signaling may not solve the underlying deficit.
For testosterone replacement specifically: men planning fertility in the near term, men with breast cancer or known or suspected prostate cancer, and men whose hematocrit, cardiovascular status or other conditions make androgen therapy inappropriate.
Anyone with contraindications, drug interactions or medical circumstances that make treatment inappropriate. Your clinician makes the decision.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need blood work before starting low testosterone treatment?
Yes. No Low T medication is prescribed without laboratory confirmation. At minimum a licensed clinician requires a total testosterone result and a hematocrit result. Total testosterone under 250 ng/dL is acceptable to treat, against a normal physiological range of 450–1000 ng/dL, and hematocrit should fall within 41–50%. Symptoms alone are not sufficient for a diagnosis of hypogonadism.
Can I use lab results from my own doctor instead of buying a panel?
Yes. If you already have recent results you can send them to the Embrace clinical team rather than purchasing a panel. Results are considered current and valid if they were performed within the last 6 months and during a period without supplementation or changes in supplementation. Your results must include the biomarkers your clinician needs, so check the panel contents before assuming existing labs are sufficient.
What if I do not have recent lab results?
You purchase a hormone panel, complete it, and your results are reviewed before any prescription decision is made. The panel is a prerequisite, not an upsell — treatment cannot be prescribed until a clinician has reviewed your numbers.
What is enclomiphene?
Enclomiphene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator, or SERM. It has been studied as an oral treatment for men with secondary hypogonadism. In clinical studies it increased LH, FSH and endogenous testosterone production.
How does enclomiphene work?
It acts on estrogen feedback within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Your brain and pituitary help tell your testes how much testosterone to produce, using two signals: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Enclomiphene works upstream to increase those signals rather than supplying testosterone directly.
Is enclomiphene testosterone?
No. It does not contain testosterone. It works upstream in the hormonal signaling pathway rather than supplying testosterone directly.
What is testosterone cypionate?
Testosterone cypionate is a long-acting injectable ester of testosterone used for testosterone replacement therapy. It supplies testosterone directly rather than stimulating your body to produce more of its own. It is a Schedule III controlled substance and is available only by prescription following clinical evaluation and laboratory testing.
What is the difference between enclomiphene and TRT?
TRT introduces testosterone from outside the body. Enclomiphene stimulates endogenous hormonal signaling in appropriately selected men. Clinical trials showed different effects on LH, FSH and sperm concentration between enclomiphene and testosterone gel. Neither is universally better — the appropriate choice depends on why your testosterone is low, your medical history, your fertility plans and your clinician’s judgment.
Who is testosterone cypionate a good fit for?
A clinician may consider testosterone replacement for a man with confirmed hypogonadism who is not planning future fertility. Because exogenous testosterone suppresses the signals required for sperm production, TRT is often discussed with men who have completed their families. It may also be considered when the hormonal problem is primary testicular dysfunction, where stimulating upstream signaling would not address the underlying deficit. Your clinician determines whether it is appropriate for you.
How often is testosterone cypionate injected?
Testosterone cypionate is long-acting and is typically administered on a weekly or every-other-week schedule determined by the prescriber. Follow the exact dosing, injection technique and schedule provided with your prescription.
Does testosterone therapy affect sperm production?
Exogenous testosterone can suppress the hormonal signals required for spermatogenesis. The Endocrine Society recommends against starting testosterone therapy in men planning fertility in the near term. Discuss current or future fertility goals with your clinician before beginning hormone therapy.
What monitoring does testosterone replacement require?
Your clinician determines your monitoring schedule. Testosterone therapy commonly requires periodic laboratory follow-up including hematocrit, because testosterone can raise red blood cell counts, along with testosterone levels, blood pressure and prostate-related monitoring as clinically indicated. Ongoing monitoring is part of treatment rather than optional.
Does enclomiphene preserve fertility?
Do not interpret enclomiphene as a fertility guarantee. In randomized trials involving selected men with secondary hypogonadism, sperm concentrations were maintained with enclomiphene while testosterone gel reduced spermatogenesis. Individual fertility depends on numerous factors and should be evaluated separately when relevant.
Can enclomiphene increase testosterone?
Clinical studies in men with secondary hypogonadism found significant increases in serum testosterone with enclomiphene treatment. Individual response varies.
Is enclomiphene FDA approved?
No. Enclomiphene is not an FDA-approved standalone medication. Compounded medications are not FDA approved and do not undergo the same FDA premarket review as FDA-approved medications.
Can I choose my medication or my dose?
No. The prescribing clinician determines whether treatment is appropriate, which medication is appropriate, and what dose to prescribe. Treatment is not selected from a menu.
Is enclomiphene the same thing as clomiphene?
No. Clomiphene is composed of two stereoisomers, enclomiphene and zuclomiphene. Enclomiphene refers specifically to the trans-isomer. They should not be presented as identical medications.
What happens if my testosterone improves but I still feel bad?
Tell your clinician. This is important. Your symptoms may have another cause, testosterone may be only one component, or your treatment plan may require reassessment. Embrace does not define success as simply making a laboratory number larger.
A different question
If the problem is body composition rather than testosterone.
Some men arrive here because their energy is gone and their panel confirms low testosterone. Others arrive because they lost weight, got smaller, and did not end up looking the way they expected — which is not the same problem and does not have the same answer.
Sermorelin is a prescription GHRH analogue that acts on a different pathway entirely. It is not a testosterone product and it is not an add-on to one. Whether either treatment is appropriate, and whether they could ever be used together, is a clinical decision your provider makes after reviewing your full picture — not something to assemble yourself.
Compounded sermorelin is not FDA approved. Individual results vary.
Maybe it is Low T. Maybe it isn’t.
Either answer is more useful than another year of guessing.
You do not need somebody online to convince you that you need testosterone. You do not need another bottle promising to boost male vitality. And you do not need to decide between enclomiphene and TRT before anyone has looked at your numbers.
Start with the panel. Then make a decision with a clinician who has the whole picture.
First the answer. Then the treatment.
Stop Guessing About Low TPrivate online evaluation. Licensed clinician review. Prescription treatment only when medically appropriate.
Clinical and regulatory disclaimer
Prescription treatment is provided only after evaluation by a licensed healthcare professional who determines that treatment is medically appropriate, and only after laboratory confirmation. Symptoms associated with testosterone deficiency can have many causes. A diagnosis of hypogonadism should be based on appropriate clinical evaluation and laboratory testing rather than symptoms alone. Individual outcomes vary and no specific result is guaranteed.
Enclomiphene is a prescription medication that is not currently FDA approved as a standalone drug. When prescribed as a compounded medication, the compounded medication itself is not FDA approved. FDA does not evaluate compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality through the same premarket approval process used for FDA-approved products. Enclomiphene has been studied in men with secondary hypogonadism, including randomized controlled trials evaluating testosterone, LH, FSH and sperm parameters. Enclomiphene should not be presented as a fertility treatment or as guaranteeing preservation of fertility.
Testosterone cypionate is a Schedule III controlled substance available only by prescription following clinical evaluation and laboratory testing. Testosterone replacement is indicated for replacement therapy in males for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone. It is not indicated for the treatment of aging, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, weight gain or athletic performance, and symptoms such as low energy, low libido and low mood can have many causes other than testosterone deficiency.
Testosterone replacement therapy suppresses luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone and can substantially reduce sperm production; the Endocrine Society recommends against starting testosterone therapy in men planning fertility in the near term. Testosterone is contraindicated in men with breast cancer and in men with known or suspected prostate cancer, and is not for use in women or in women who are or may become pregnant. Testosterone therapy can increase hematocrit and red blood cell mass, can increase blood pressure, may worsen untreated obstructive sleep apnea, and requires evaluation of cardiovascular status and periodic laboratory monitoring as determined by your prescribing clinician. Report chest pain, shortness of breath, leg swelling, difficulty urinating or other concerning symptoms to a clinician promptly.
FDA testosterone labeling has changed recently, including changes to class-wide cardiovascular warning language and the addition of blood-pressure information. Final indication, warning and labeling language for the specific testosterone product and pharmacy formulation dispensed must be confirmed against current FDA-approved labeling for that product.
Neither medication should be represented as guaranteeing improvements in energy, libido, mood, cognition, muscle mass, fat loss, athletic performance, fertility or any other specific outcome. Neither should be used for bodybuilding, athletic enhancement or performance purposes.
Patients should disclose all medications, supplements, medical conditions, fertility goals and relevant health history to the prescribing clinician. Treatment risks, potential adverse effects, contraindications, drug interactions, required monitoring and alternative treatment options should be reviewed with the prescribing healthcare professional. The information on this page is educational and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or a guarantee of treatment. Seek urgent medical care for severe or concerning symptoms.