Side Effects of Testosterone Injections
Side Effects of Testosterone 
Injections
People like to find the easy and quick way out of everything. Everyone wants more done with little effort. That’s why the bodybuilders started using testosterone injections.
These injections may do wonders for you. But is this method safe? Are there any side effects of testosterone injections?
Well, no drug comes without a side effect. Same is true for testosterone injections too.
This article will dig deep into the potential side effects of testosterone injections and some benefits too. So let’s get to it.
Benefits of Testosterone Injections
When testosterone is injected into muscle tissue it is absorbed straight into the bloodstream.
This testosterone will have some positive effects on the body for a certain period of time but then at some point, testosterone levels will decline.
There is no denying the fact that there will be some short-term benefits from this spike in testosterone.
Following are three different ways in which testosterone injections benefit your body.
1) Muscle Health – Different studies have found that testosterone injections promote muscle health. You will see maximum results if you combine these injections with strength training.
2) Bone health – The bones are affected badly as you age. A recent study done with 36 men showed that testosterone injections benefit bone density.
3) Heart Health – Testosterone injections have shown in some studies to be helpful for heart patients. However, these studies only showed these results when the correct dose to restore normal levels was administered.
Side Effects of Testosterone Injections
If you are someone who is concerned about the risks and negative side effects of testosterone injections then your concerns are valid.
The truth is that testosterone injections can cause a number of health complications. Some major side effects of testosterone injections have been mentioned below:
1) Testosterone Injections and Heart Attacks
Many studies have viewed the risks of taking testosterone enhancing drugs. These drugs can cause several problems including heart attacks.
A recent study published on 29 January 2014 in the PLOS One Journal found that men older than 65 had double the risk of suffering from heart attack after a 90 day testosterone drug therapy than non-users.
Another study including over 56,000 patients was conducted at the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers compared the data before and after the patients received testosterone prescriptions and found that testosterone negatively affects heart health.
These aren’t the only studies that relate testosterone injections with heart attacks. Researchers conducted two studies in 2010 and 2013 which were published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
These studies included men who were elderly and were taking testosterone drugs like injections. The researchers concluded that the men were more prone to heart attacks.
2) Suppressing Fertility
The production of testosterone and sperms is controlled by the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis.
The pituitary gland conveys its message to the testicles by the means of different chemical messengers. Low testosterone occurs when the hormonal cycle fails to stimulate the testes.
Testosterone injections disrupt this cycle. These injections suppress the Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), which leads to a big reduction in fertility. This also leads to a reduction in the size and firmness of the testicles.
3) Prostate Cancer
Testosterone injections not only suppress fertility but they are also linked to an increase in the risk of prostate cancer.
The main reason for this is the sudden unnatural increase in testosterone levels.
A study was recently done by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard that involved men who received testosterone replacement therapy.
Researchers found that individuals who used injectable testosterone had twice the risk of prostate cancer.
Another study reviewed the medical records of six urology patients. Those patients underwent testosterone replacement therapy for sexual dysfunction.
Many people involved in the study were diagnosed for prostate cancer after they began testosterone replacement therapy.
4) Hormone Imbalance
Testosterone therapy can also disrupt the hormone balance of the body.
This can lead to many problems like skin irritations, oily skin, acne, change in hair growth and patterns and enlargement of male breasts.
The testicles also shrink, which can pose a danger of long term infertility.
5) Polycythemia
Polycythemia is a health condition in which the red blood cells count increases; this is a major side effect of testosterone drug therapy.
When many blood cells are produced by the bone marrow then the blood becomes thick which increases the risk of blood clots and can result in strokes.
6) Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition in which the air flow stops or decreases during sleep due to a blocked airway.
Studies have shown that testosterone drug therapy can worsen this condition.
It can lead to atrial fibrillation, strokes and cardiac ischemia -a condition in which enough blood doesn’t flow to the heart.
Natural Alternatives To Testosterone Injections
Testosterone injections over the long term will be doing more harm than good to you. So you should turn to natural alternatives to increase your testosterone levels.
This whole website has information on how you can raise your testosterone naturally. Here are some safe and natural ways to boost your testosterone levels.
Get Vitamin D – Vitamin D is one of the best ways out there to boost your testosterone levels naturally.
A study published in the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology” showed a positive relationship between Vitamin D and testosterone levels.
The researchers found that participants with higher levels of Vitamin D in their bodies had higher levels of free testosterone too.
The best way to have high vitamin D is to spend 15 minutes daily in sunlight or take a quality Vitamin D supplement.
Try Some Steroid Alternatives – There are supplements out there that are natural alternatives to steroids and can significantly increase testosterone levels in men. Read about the closest supplement to steroids and avoid all the side effects of testosterone injections.
Eat Fat – Fat is often thought as something which destroys a person’s physique but all fats are not dangerous. A study found that diets that have a higher amount of monounsaturated fats can increase testosterone levels significantly.
Don’t Avoid Cholesterol – Testosterone is derived from cholesterol, so the intake of cholesterol is quite important for boosting testosterone levels.
Research has indicated a strong relationship between HDL or good cholesterol and testosterone levels.
Consume Zinc – Researchers have found out that zinc deficiency is associated with low testosterone levels.
A study at Wayne State University in Indiana found out that the testosterone levels of older men increased when they included zinc supplements in their diet.
Get Good Sleep – Proper sleep can boost your testosterone. This is the reason why you feel energetic after a good night’s sleep.
A research published in the Journal of American Medical Association found out that lack of sleep can greatly reduce testosterone levels in the body.
The effect is clear after just a week of sleep disruption. Adults need between seven and nine hours sleep to boost their testosterone levels.
Bottom Line
There you have it! The use of testosterone injections can cause an increase in muscle size, but that’s not without consequences.
All the side effects of testosterone injections are not something you want to experience especially when you can boost testosterone naturally.
When you boost testosterone in an unnatural way the side effects will always follow. Things like – prostate problems, testicular atrophy, gyno, infertility etc
In short, use of testosterone injections does more harm than good. In fact, you shouldn’t use these injections without proper advice and prescription from your physician.
Try some natural alternatives to steroids and injections instead.
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