Testim® (
testosterone gel) is a prescription testosterone replacement medication. It is approved for treating certain causes of low testosterone in men.
There are several different causes of low testosterone in men. Normally, testosterone is produced when the testes are stimulated by certain hormone signals from glands in the brain. Low testosterone can occur due to problems in the brain or the testes.
Testim can treat either type of low testosterone (whether the problem lies in the testes or the brain) because it does not rely on either the testes or the brain to increase testosterone levels.
Common symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Low sex drive (libido)
- Fatigue and low energy
- Decreased muscle mass and increased fat mass
- Problems with erectile function
- Decreased bone strength
- Depression.
Of course, a man could have all these symptoms and still have normal testosterone levels (since most of these symptoms are relatively common). The only real way to diagnose low testosterone is by actually measuring testosterone levels in the blood.
Testim contains the hormone testosterone in a skin gel. It works by increasing testosterone to a normal level.
Testim is used as a gel (not taken by mouth) because it would have little effect on testosterone levels if taken orally. When medications are taken by mouth, they must first pass through the liver before they reach the bloodstream. The liver metabolizes testosterone extensively before it has a chance to reach the bloodstream, and adequate blood levels of the medication usually cannot be achieved. However, when testosterone is applied to the skin, it bypasses the liver, allowing significant amounts of the hormone to reach the bloodstream.
