Testim Gel to treat hypgonadism
Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2006 Mar;7(4):477-84, McNicholas t, Ong T. PMID: 16503819. This is a review article pertaining to Testim, a 1% testosterone gel. The authors note that Testim has been effective at restoring hypogonadal men's testosterone concentration to normal levels and that it appears to have fewer local side effects such as itching and redness when compared to patch methods. Benefits were maintained for a one-year period. Side effects included site-specific reactions, changes in hematological parameters and moderate increases in PSA levels in about 4% of the men. The authors note that when taking any form of testosterone, the prostate should be monitored regularly to include PSA level testing and digital rectal examine. Editor's comments: I have been on some form of testosterone therapy since 1995, including injections, Androgel, and Androderm 5 mg patches. The injections were painful which caused me to search for an alternative therapy. The Androgel was very easy to use, but I had no improvement in serum testosterone levels with it. The Androderm patch has been quite successful in improving serum tesosterone levels, with minimal inconvenience or problems. I do find occasionally a patch will come loose if I exercise very vigorously in hot humid weather. And there is a small red spot after I remove the patch after 24 hours. This redness goes away over the next day or two and hasn't been a serious problem. I move the patch to various areas of my thigh on both legs and this seems to work quite well. One of my questions regarding Testim would be whether it might work better than Androgel, and, if so, why? I'll include some links to various Websites I've found that provide some helpful guidance on this topic. The bottom line is that there are now several forms of testosterone available for hypogonadal men. I suggest trying them to find the form that you get the best results with, including maintaining adequate serum testosterone levels while using a method that is comfortable with few side effects. Don't forget to have your prostate health monitored closely, especially when first starting testosterone therapy.
A PDR explanation on drugs.com. drugs.com on Testim is a good scientific rundown of Testim.
Doctor's Guide article on Testim. This article is a summary of information on Testim at the time it was approved by the FDA.
A comparison of Testim to Androgel. This abstract shows an improvement in all of the parameters studied when men switched from Androgel to Testim.