Before embarking on a new kind of treatment (or a new product) for any medical condition it’s natural to have questions. We get tons of questions about AndroForte from first-time users.
A common question that crops up time and time again is about the difference between AndroForte and other low testosterone treatments like AndroGel and TestoGel. We also get asked a lot about the side effects of using testosterone therapy.
Here’s a recent (an important question) that we received from a new customer.
“We see many middle-aged men who have been “overdosed” with various forms of Testosterone. Gels, injectables, etc. Most are hesitant to using even low dose exogenous testosterone replacement therapy because of the previous issues of testicular atrophy and over conversion to E2. Is it possible to use AndroForte for the men who are unable to reach normal testosterone levels and not have an increased risk of testicular atrophy and gynecomastia?”
The short answer is the testosterone in AndroForte is exactly the same as that in TestoGel. If used in excessive doses it will cause the same issues as the men have previously experienced. That’s why it’s important to monitor your progress while using any kind of testosterone therapy. Getting the dose right for you is vital to the success and benefit of the treatment.
The key is a controlled dose and regular serum T monitoring.
In general, testicular atrophy is seen with injectable forms of testosterone and less so with transdermal application. AndroForte is a transdermal bioidentical testosterone cream so it reduces the instances of testicular atrophy in the first place.
The incidence of excessive E2 and DHT conversion with AndroForte is very low, however this can easily be managed by a dose adjustment and/or the use of an aromatase inhibitor or 5 alpha reductase inhibitor. Gynecomastia is a very low incidence problem and is usually dose related.
The key factor is to keep these men’s levels within the normal mid-physiologic range so these “overdosing” symptoms do not occur. This means dose titration if levels are edging too high. A low dose start, 25mg or 0.5ml of AndroForte 5, applied once daily scrotally is a good starting point for treatment. Then monitor T blood levels after 30 days and titrate as required.
This AndroForte PI booklet explains a bit more about the product and outlines most of what’s been discussed above.
Here’s some more info on comparing AndroForte testosterone replacement therapy and other, similar, branded products available.
The ISSAM (International society for the Study of Aging Males) also recently released guidelines which provide a comprehensive overview and patient management guide in this area. If you are interested in this topic, then take a read, here.
As always, let us know if you have any questions.