General FAQs

Testosterone is a hormone, also called an androgen, which is produced in the testes. It is responsible for the development of the typical male characteristics such as body hair and having a deeper voice. It is also essential to the maintenance of overall health and contributes to bone and muscle health, maintenance of a healthy weight and to sexual function. ^[1] 

Testosterone is an active player in maintaining your overall health. It supports muscle development and maintenance, prevents osteoporosis and regulates metabolism to prevent weight gain. It is also important for sexual function and promotes strong erections and sexual desire. ^[2] With it being so integral to a number of areas in overall health, testosterone deficiency can have a serious impact on your wellbeing and those who are deficient experience a number of signs and symptoms which reduces their quality of life. ^{[1] [2]} 

Testosterone deficiency, also known as the medical term hypogonadism, is when the body produces much less testosterone than is needed to maintain overall health and wellbeing. ^[1]

Testosterone production naturally declines after men reach the age of 40 but in some men, production is reduced to such an extent that they experience signs and symptoms which impact on their quality of life. ^[1]

Deficiency can be due to an issue in the testes (known as primary hypogonadism) or can be caused by a problem in the signaling pathway between your brain and the testes (secondary hypogonadism). ^[1] 

Individuals with testosterone deficiency experience a range of symptoms and not all are required for a diagnosis. 

Symptoms include: ^[2]

• Impact on sexual function including erectile dysfunction, difficulty maintaining or getting an erection or decreased sex drive 

• Extreme tiredness (fatigue) 

• Mood changes including increased irritability and anger and generally feeling less content with life

• Decreased ability to exercise and lack of energy 

• Presence of anaemia 

• Decreased strength

• Weight gain

There are some self-assessment tools on our site which will allow you to determine if you may have testosterone deficiency and should speak to your doctor. You can review them here.

To be diagnosed with testosterone deficiency, your doctor will first ask you some questions to see if you have some of the signs and symptoms. 

If you do, you will then have a simple blood test to confirm the diagnosis. The blood test will look to determine the level of testosterone in your blood and if it is below a certain level, you will be diagnosed with the condition. ^[3] 

Yes, there are several different types of testosterone replacement therapy which differ on how they are administered. 

Testosterone gels like Testavan are very common but there are also other types such as intramuscular injections and buccal (in the mouth) patches which can be placed on your gum. ^[4]

Your doctor will choose the type of therapy which they feel is best for you and you should speak to them on the different options to understand why your therapy has been chosen for you.