Testosterone gel how long to work

Stay away from open flames and do not smoke while you are applying testosterone topical and until the gel or solution has dried completely. Your doctor may adjust your dose of testosterone depending on the amount of testosterone in your blood during your treatment. Testosterone topical may control your symptoms but will not cure your condition.

Continue to use testosterone topical even if you feel well. Do not stop using testosterone topical without talking to your doctor. If you stop using testosterone topical, your symptoms may return. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.

Do not apply a double dose to make up for a missed dose. Testosterone topical may cause a decrease in the number of sperm male reproductive cells produced, especially if it is used at high doses. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication if you are a man and would like to have children. Testosterone may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication. Testosterone topical may cause other side effects.

Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Store testosterone topical products in a safe place so that no one else can use it accidentally or on purpose. Keep track of how much medication is left so you will know if any is missing. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet.

Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to testosterone. Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are using testosterone topical.

Be careful to prevent accidental exposure of children or pets. Keep AndroGel 1. Products or treatments described on this site are available in the U. I am a licensed Healthcare Professional and wish to proceed to the Healthcare Professionals Only section of this site. You are leaving the AndroGel. AbbVie is not responsible for the content of any such site or any further links from such site. AbbVie is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply the endorsement of the linked site by AbbVie.

You should also be aware that the linked site may be governed by its own set of terms and conditions and privacy policy for which AbbVie has no responsibility. Conversely, the presence of this link does not imply the linked site's endorsement of AndroGel.

When you use this card, you are confirming that you have not submitted and will not submit a claim for this prescription for reimbursement under any federal, state, or government-funded healthcare program, such as Medicare including Part D , Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Medigap, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or TRICARE. General questions about AndroGel 1. Apply to shoulders and upper arms only. Avoid showering, swimming, or bathing for at least 2 hours after applying AndroGel 1.

Are AndroGel 1. What is AndroGel 1. Why did my doctor prescribe AndroGel 1. Does AndroGel 1. Signs and symptoms of a blood clot in your leg can include leg pain, swelling, or redness. Signs and symptoms of a blood clot in your lungs can include difficulty breathing or chest pain Possible increased risk of heart attack or stroke In large doses, AndroGel 1.

This may cause serious problems for people who have heart, kidney, or liver disease Enlarged or painful breasts Having problems breathing while you sleep sleep apnea The most common side effects of AndroGel 1.

Who should not use AndroGel 1. Do not use AndroGel 1. Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you have any of the above conditions. What if someone else is exposed to AndroGel 1. Should I take AndroGel 1. Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.

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As previously reported by other investigators and by our earlier studies on shorter duration of T treatment, enhancement of positive mood was more prominent than the decrease in negative mood parameters 3 , 5 , Because there was no placebo group, some of the initial effect of T gel could have been due to a placebo effect, but sustained behavioral changes argued against this. With the improvement in sexual function and mood, it is likely that the quality of life in these hypogonadal men would be improved.

This was not specifically assessed in this study, and instruments for hypogonadal men that may be more sensitive to the effects of T treatment may have to be developed. Increases in lean body mass average of about 3 kg occurred in the hypogonadal men as early as 3 months and were sustained with continuous T replacement both in younger and older men. This increase was associated with a very small increase in total weight and loss of fat mass.

The decrease in fat mass and percent body fat failed to reach statistical significance in older men in this study possibly because of the small number of older subjects. Such changes in body composition with T replacement had been shown previously in young and older men 3 , 5 , 7 , 15 , 16 , 18 — The increase in lean mass is likely due to muscle fiber hypertrophy that is increased with T treatment It should be noted that in this long-term T replacement study, the changes in body composition plateaued after 12 months treatment.

The changes in fat mass and lean mass have been shown to be dependent on the serum T achieved after exogenous T replacement Overall, the changes in muscle and fat mass were not different in the different dose groups, most likely because of the dose adjustment that occurred in some subjects to maintain the serum T concentrations within the adult male range.

Increases in muscle strength associated with increases in lean mass after T replacement have been reported by us and others 3 , 14 , In this longer-term study, the mean strength in both upper and lower extremities increased as a group, but because of the marked variability, this failed to reach statistical significance over time. This finding is similar to that reported by Snyder et al.

Assessment of bone markers showed that serum PTH and SALP showed a steady increase over the first 12 months and then remained at the same level during the treatment period. Such increases in serum PTH have been reported by us 3 , 5 , 18 and could be related to the early decreases in serum calcium 3.

The other markers of bone formation, osteocalcin and procollagen, followed the same pattern. The early rise and subsequent decrease after T replacement therapy of serum osteocalcin have been previously reported 3 , 5 , In this study we showed that both serum osteocalcin and procollagen rose further at 6 months and then plateaued at a higher level at 12 months of T treatment than at baseline.

Urinary bone resorption markers decreased to reach a trough in the first 6 months of treatment and then became very variable. Similar decreases in urine bone resorption markers within 6 and 12 months of T replacement followed by no further decreases in hypogonadal men were reported by Katznelson et al. Taken together in our long-term study of AndroGel replacement of hypogonadal men, the bone markers indicated that there was an early phase in which there was decreased bone resorption and increased bone formation and a later phase in which there is no apparent further decrease in bone resorption but a suggestion of a second phase of continued increase in bone formation.

BMD increased with T replacement therapy in hypogonadal younger men 5 , 18 , 23 , 27 but not in some older men 25 , In our study BMD continued to increase by 0. BMD in the spine increased both in older and younger men. In the subjects treated by Snyder et al.

Most of the subjects in our study had been previously on T replacement, which could have improved baseline BMD status, and therefore the full benefit of testosterone was underappreciated. The absolute change in BMD in response to T treatment in hypogonadal young and older men is highest when the initial serum T and BMD are the lowest 3 , The few case reports of estrogen receptor mutations and aromatase deficiency in males were all associated with severe osteoporosis 28 — In addition, there is strong evidence that estrogen is also important in maintaining BMD in adult men 31 , Epidemiological studies also demonstrate that BMD is related to serum E 2 and bioavailable E 2 concentrations and experimental studies in men showed that estrogens are important in maintaining bone mass Thus, the current hypothesis is that the presence of adequate estrogen levels is required for achievement and maintenance of peak BMD in men.

The concentration of serum E 2 or the level of estrogen activity in the target tissues required to maintain BMD is not known, although recent work would suggest that there indeed may be a critical level of bioavailable E 2 that is required to maintain bone resorption in check 32 , Whereas it is apparent that some estrogenic action is required for normal BMD, it is probable that T has positive effects on BMD through both estrogen and androgen receptor-related mechanisms.

In our study serum E 2 rose with continued T replacement to reach the upper limit of the normal range. As in prior reports on AndroGel 3 , skin irritability is minimal and caused discontinuation in only one subject.

The anticipated appearance of acne occurred in a very small number of subjects. The hemoglobin and hematocrit levels increased as anticipated with androgen replacement, but the increase reached the maximum level at 6—12 months with no further increases with continued T gel replacement.

The number of subjects with high hemoglobin or hematocrit that required discontinuation was similar to other reports 23 , 34 , There were small and clinically nonsignificant increases in creatinine and bilirubin in the subjects without any significant changes in liver enzymes or electrolytes. Mean I-PPS scores were not increased in subjects as a group. One subject had transurethral resection of the prostate for lower urinary tract symptoms.

Of the subjects who had elevated PSA during the study, three had confirmed prostate cancer on biopsy. All three subjects were over 63 yr old at enrollment in the study. In prior T replacement treatment of smaller numbers of hypogonadal men, no cancer of the prostate was reported 18 , The incidence of prostate cancer in three of 1.

However, if only men over 60 yr enrolled in this study were considered, the incidence would be higher: three of 39 7. Based on the data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result Program of the National Cancer Institute, the anticipated incidence of prostate cancer in the population of men between the ages of 65 and 74 yr is between and cases per , men [National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result SEER Program , www. However, with the close monitoring of PSA in this study, the heightened awareness of the investigators, and the rate of referral to a urologist for prostate biopsy could cause the incidence to be increased.

One could postulate, however, that during intervention studies such as the present study, the increased surveillance as shown by other studies 36 would result in higher prostate biopsy and higher cancer detection rate The cancers might therefore be detected earlier, leading to a higher cure rate.

It is not clear whether androgen replacement in hypogonadal men will result in growth or development of a prostate cancer. In the recent evidence-based report by the Institute of Medicine, the issue of T replacement in androgen deficiency associated with aging in men remains controversial, and more controlled studies are required In each subject with adult-onset hypogonadism associated with aging, the benefits must be balanced and carefully assessed against the potential risks for the patient.

In older subjects, it is prudent to monitor serum PSA and conduct digital rectal examinations very early after the initiation of treatment 1—3 months and then follow up the subjects periodically as recommended by practice guidelines We conclude that AndroGel replacement in hypogonadal men led to restoration of serum T and free T into the adult male range. The improvements in sexual function and mood were sustained with long-term treatment. The decrease in fat mass and increase in lean mass were persistent with T replacement.

Serum bone markers showed changes suggestive of an increase in bone formation and BMD increase both in the hip and spine. The safety parameters were comparable with other delivery systems. However, the benefits of androgen replacement must be weighed against potential risks.

As with all androgen replacement, continuous vigilance is required for the monitoring of hemoglobin and hematocrit and serum PSA for values that are above the critical range that intervention may be necessary. In addition to the ease of administration and the lack of skin irritation, we conclude that AndroGel is also safe and effective when used in the long-term treatment of hypogonadal men. Berger, M. Dula, M. Kaufman, M. Scheinman, M. Hutman, M. Schwartz, M. Steidle, M.

Susset, M. Wells, M. The authors also thank Barbara Steiner, R. Diabetes and Glandular Disease Clinic, P. The authors thank A. Leung, HTC; S. Baravarian, Ph. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 85 : — Google Scholar. Clin Endocrinol Oxf 54 : — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 81 : — J Androl 13 : — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 88 : — BJU Int 91 : 69 — Eur J Endocrinol : — Reprod Fertil Dev 13 : — Wang C , Swerdloff RS Should the nonaromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone be considered as an alternative to testosterone in the treatment of the andropause?

J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87 : — J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 49 : — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86 : — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 84 : — Am J Physiol : E — E J Clin Endocrinol Metab 75 : — Brodsky IG , Balagopal P , Nair KS Effects of testosterone replacement on muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis in hypogonadal men—a clinical research center study.

Tenover JL Male senescence. In: Wang C, ed. Male reproductive function. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers; — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 82 : — N Engl J Med : — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 80 : —