Male Hormone Replacement Therapy.

 


There are a range of treatments available for the delivery of testosterone. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Not all may be available in every country and may go by another trade name.

Your doctor will be able to give you advice on which type is best for your individual circumstances, this guide is just an illustration on the different forms of treatment available at present.

Once treatment is started your doctor may have to monitor the hormone levels in the blood to establish the correct dosage and frequency required.

 
Oral:

eg. Restandol®

Tablets of testosterone undecanoate in oily solution. Usually in 40 to 120mg doses to be taken daily.

Not normally prescribed for Kallmann's syndrome or HH as the levels reached are quite low and the duration of their effect is quite short. Usually used to maintain testosterone levels in older men. In some cases it is used to induce puberty in cases where a delay of puberty is suspected rather than Kallmann's or HH.

Buccal patches:

eg. Striant® 

Adhesive tablets attached to the gum. 30 mg tablets lasting about 12 hours. The small patches adhere to the surface of the gum and slowly release testosterone. The testosterone is slowly absorbed through the lining of the mouth.

Intra-muscular injections:

eg. Testosterone Enantate  

(Primoteston Depot®  - used to be the trade name in the UK, but now is a non-proprietary drug and could come under different names in different countries.)

Oily injection of 250mg usually every 2 weeks. Can be self administered.

eg. Sustanon 100®  

Oily injection of testosterone propionate 20 mg, testosterone phenyl propionate 40 mg and testosterone isocaproate.

Usually taken every 2 weeks.

N.B. this preparation does contain peanut oil.

Sustanon 250®  

Oily injection of testosterone propionate 30 mg, testosterone phenyl propionate 60 mg, testosterone isocaproate 60 mg and testosterone decanoate 100 mg/ml. 

Usually taken every 3 weeks.

N.B. this preparation does contain peanut oil.

Nebido®

Oily injection of 1000mg testosterone undecanoate. Lasts for around 3 months, giving a very slow release of a steady dose of testosterone. Not available world wide yet, but due for release in the UK in Spring 2005.

Virormone®  

Oily injection of testosterone propionate 50 mg/ml.. 

Usually taken weekly, sometimes used to stimulate delayed puberty.

Implants:  

 

Testosterone.   

100 mg or 200 mg pellet implants given under local anesthetic under sterile condition into the deep fat tissue of the buttocks or abdomen.

Usually given every 6 months. 

 Transdermal applications:

Andropatch® 

Self adhesive patches of gel containing 2.5 mg or 5 mg of testosterone. Changed daily.

 

 Testim gel® 

 

 Testogel® 

(called Androgel in some countries)

25mg, 50 mg or 100 mg  sachets of testosterone gel to be applied to the skin every day. Gel dries quickly and is absorbed through the skin to allow for gradual release of testosterone throughout the day.

 

These above treatments are all forms of male hormone replacement therapy. They are designed to bring about the physical and anabolic actions of testosterone and its derivitives.

They will not induce fertility in Kallmann's or HH.

They can induce puberty in cases of delayed puberty.

Different methods of treatment are required for fertility to be achieved in men and women with Kallmann's and HH.