A further test can determine whether the problem is testes or pituitary based, look for free testosterone, the active component, and determine if a prolactin-producing tumor is suppressing testosterone levels. If your testosterone level is very low, and there is no correctable cause, supplementation is likely to be helpful. Doctors are reluctant to prescribe hormone supplements because of the recognized hazards of excess testosterone. One way we treat prostate cancer is to reduce testosterone levels to zero, which slows the cancer's growth. Therefore, it's logical to think that excess testosterone may speed growth if prostate cancer is present.
Skin patches are a relatively new way to deliver testosterone.
Patches may make it easier to micromanage testosterone levels, reducing the risks of excessive hormone. There's no question that restoring normal testosterone levels can significantly improve a man's quality of life, but what it does to the length of that life still isn't clear. Besides, veropause involves more than just hormones. To really help older men, we need to consider psychological, social, and physical issues as well. We are more than the sum of our parts, and only the whole man can really heal.