Introduction
Buying testosterone may seem as though it’s only available to buy overseas and isn’t prescribed or available for purchase here in the UK.
If you’re one of many who still think this, then we’re here to give you a deeper insight as to where you can buy testosterone in the UK but more importantly, why you may need replacement therapy and what signs to look out for.
Take Our Short Questionnaire
First of all, if you haven’t already taken our 10-step questionnaire on discovering the symptoms of having naturally low testosterone levels, then we would advise getting in contact with our experienced doctor Dr Steve Liggins.
Dr Liggins holds an honours degree in Biochemistry and is a consultant surgeon with over 35 years experience as a clinician and clinical lead.
By speaking to our team, we can be sure that you’re getting the most accurate and trusted advice from professionals who have been working in the field for decades.
If we feel as though TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) is right for you, then we will advise you to take one of our blood tests.
Taking a blood test will just confirm everything that we need to know in order to put you in the right direction for your testosterone replacement requirements.
Why you might need a testosterone boost
Low testosterone levels can be linked to a lot of side effects.
Due to testosterone being such a huge part of how the body functions, low testosterone levels can be linked to things such as mood swings and a general drop in mood, a reduced sex drive, low energy, depression, un-planned weight gain, struggling to concentrate and focus on simple tasks, short term memory loss and more.
If you find yourself suffering from all or most of these symptoms, then we would strongly advise you to get in contact with us so we can answer any additional questions that you may have and guide you on the proper course of action you should take.
What forms of testosterone are on the market?
When people think about taking testosterone, they may think of the typical gym go-er using syringes to inject themselves with and often have a negative perception about taking testosterone to begin with.
But there are many different forms of testosterone that you can take that can be prescribed to you by a qualified medical doctor to treat symptoms such as depression, low sex drive, low energy, inability to focus, etc.
Below are some of the main mediums of testosterone application that are on the market today:
- Gels
- Injections
- Patches
Gels:
Testosterone in gel form is a very popular way of boosting your levels due to its non-intrusive application while still receiving the desired effects.
Different brands will carry a different set of instructions for the application of the gel itself, but usually, you will be advised to apply the gel to areas of the body where your high-androgen receptors are located.
These areas on the body include your arms (shoulders), armpits, abdomen, and your inner thigh.
Injections:
Injectable testosterone isn’t always kept in shady gyms and reserved only for bodybuilders, there are a lot of medical uses for this form of testosterone application.
As this is the most direct form of application, this method will have the most abundant effect on the body. That’s why this way of administering testosterone is used to treat certain types of cancer and accelerate the puberty process for young men who are experiencing delayed adulthood.
Patches:
When using any form of testosterone, you should always consult a medical professional to ensure that you are administering the correct levels of testosterone, you don’t have any conflicting issues that could cause negative side effects, and you’re not putting others at risk in the case that you’re pregnant.
Patches are another popular way of intaking testosterone, similarly to gels, due to the fact that you can just place a couple of patches on your shoulders and you will take in the testosterone over a period of time throughout the day.
However, the use of patches should be done so with extreme caution as there are a few instances where this method can cause more damage than good.
If you are suffering from any pre-existing medical issues such as any types of cancer, sleep apnoea, heart palpitations, liver problems, and a range of other medical conditions.
Please consult a doctor before taking any form of testosterone and please ensure that this is the right treatment for you and your current mental, and physical condition.
Oral:
This method of testosterone intake should be strictly recommended by a doctor to ensure that you are taking the correct dosages.
Oral testosterone has been linked to a number of health complications and should be avoided at all costs by women, especially if they are pregnant or thinking about having children. This is due to the birth defects that have been linked to oral testosterone intake, you should also consult a doctor if your sexual partner is undertaking a program of oral testosterone as well.
If you have been taking testosterone orally and are experiencing side effects such as a change in your heart beat, lack of appetite, weight gain or loss, constant headaches, eye pain, blurred vision, bleeding from the nose or gums, and any other unusual symptoms that have occurred after taking testosterone, then contact a doctor immediately so you can be advised on the best course of action to take.
Do I need to get a prescription before taking testosterone?
Yes, getting a prescription before taking any action on increasing your own testosterone levels.
Ensuring that you have spoken to a medical professional and taken a blood test before taking any action will allow for the doctor who you are in communication to consult and advise you on the proper dosages and whether your current health condition is going to complicate your treatment at all and cause problems.
Taking testosterone has been highlighted in recent times through the rise of fitness influencers on social media and the introduction of products such as SARMS (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators), which aren’t regulated or tested at government level.
Oftentimes, people will have a specific idea in their mind of what they want to look like in a physical sense and relate their desires with pictures they see on social media without finding out the negative side effects that are caused by not speaking to a medical professional.
Taking testosterone should be monitored and only prescribed by a medical professional who has analysed your blood tests thoroughly to see if taking testosterone is the right thing for you.
What are the benefits of taking testosterone?
Testosterone is vital for your regular bodily functions hence why your body naturally produces it.
However, there are a lot of instances where men, and sometimes women, experience naturally low T (testosterone) levels and need supplementation in order for their bodies to function properly.
T is used within the body to play a key role in sustaining muscle mass (and aiding in its recovery), maintaining bone density, hair growth on the body, regulating sex drive, general mood, and even has effects on your short-term memory and ability to focus, etc.
Aside from the main reasons that you will find online about why taking T would benefit your quality of life, there are a few more benefits that can be gained from prescribed T by a medical professional.
Supplying oxygen to your heart and organs:
T is directly responsible for red blood cell production which is a major factor as to why low T levels are linked to poor cardiovascular performance and other heart-related risks.
Testosterone levels have such a vital role in heart health that study that Harvard.edu has referenced a study where over 3,000 men in Sweden with an average age of 75 which was able to link low testosterone levels and high oestradiol levels to an increased risk of PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease).
Bone strength:
Natural testosterone levels are at their highest when you’re in your early 20’s. After this age, your natural T levels drop anywhere from 3-8% every ten years after this age.
This is why you will see a lot of men entering their 50’s start to consider taking testosterone and TRT.
Testosterone is largely responsible for the body’s bone mineral density and with your natural levels dropping after every decade, people start to see their bones suffering fractures and break more easily because of this.
Now, if you do suffer from bone fractures quite easily, this could be a sign of poor bone density and overall strength, and although it is unknown whether testosterone can actually reduce the risk of fractures it has been linked to an increase in bone density especially in the spinal column and hips.
Increased sex drive:
If you’re suffering from a low sex drive and aren’t quite sure why this has happened, you could be experiencing one of the symptoms of low T levels.
It is uncommon, however, still possible, that young men suffer from low libido due to the fact that their T levels are at their highest when you’re in your early 20’s.
Typically, we tend to see older men with dropping testosterone levels suffer from a reduced sex drive which is completely natural when you enter the later years of your life.
Speaking to a qualified doctor and taking a blood test to see if you do have low T levels will allow us to give you the best advice possible for what your next steps should be.
Having a consultation with a medical professional will help to narrow down the root of the cause of your issue.
A low sex drive and erectile dysfunction can be caused by other issues and side effects from medication which is another reason to consult a professional before starting to take any form of testosterone.
Better mood:
If you have been suffering from depression or fatigue, this could be a sign of hypogonadism (when your body does not produce enough testosterone).
Mental wellbeing and general mood have been linked to deficiencies in testosterone production in the body and are something that we ask about in our low testosterone questionnaire as well.
Why do I have low testosterone levels?
This is a question that many young adults who have received their blood test and been diagnosed with having low testosterone levels have for themselves.
The main piece of information to take away from this is that you can do something about your low testosterone levels and you can speak to a medical professional when looking into what options will benefit your current situation.
There are a number of reasons why someone has low T levels, an issue that can develop at any stage of life is called hypogonadism which is a condition that causes that body to not produce enough testosterone.
As previously mentioned, this condition can occur through foetal development, all the way to adulthood.
There are a few other reasons behind low T levels, if you can relate to any of these and have been experiencing symptoms of low T levels yourself (such as fatigue, depression, low sex drive, etc.) then we would highly advise taking our quick questionnaire or getting in contact with our qualified doctor with over 35 years of experience to find out more information.
Other causes for low T levels:
- Side effects from medication
- Genetics
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cancer (emotional and physical stress, and chemotherapy)
Low testosterone is also called male menopause similar to what women go through at a certain age in their life.
A decrease in testosterone is perfectly natural the older you get (T levels decrease anywhere from 3%-10% every 10 years after the age of 20) however, lower than normal levels in comparison to your age range is what would fall into the category of male menopause.
Where can I get a prescription for testosterone in the UK?
Here at project-alpha, we are able to advise our customers on the best next steps to take in whether TRT is the best course of action depending on the results of your blood test.
We advise that you take our quick and free questionnaire to see if you’re potentially suffering from low T levels.
Depending on the result of our quick questionnaire, you can either speak to our experienced medical professional for any follow-up questions that you may have or order one of our blood tests to get accurate results on what you are suffering from exactly.
Are there any risks from testosterone replacement therapy?
There are risks to taking testosterone, however, these can be mitigated and the chance of seeing these side effects can be greatly reduced by tailoring the approach to your testosterone intake.
It is important to know the benefits and risks before progressing with any form of treatment, below you can see some of the main potential risks that may occur:
- Acne (chest, back, face, etc.)
- Carrying water weight
- Smaller testicle size
- Increased aggression
- Lower sperm count
If you do currently suffer from a form of cancer, especially breast or prostate cancer then we would strongly advise you to not pursue taking testosterone to replace your natural levels.
Oftentimes, people undergoing chemotherapy will see decreased T levels.
These typically bounce back after the patient comes off of the treatment as well as alleviating any of the potential emotional and physical stress that they have been going through as a result of the cancer treatment itself.
Obesity and trouble sleeping (and breathing problems such as sleep apnoea) is also another situation where testosterone would not be prescribed due to the potential complications that this could cause.
More reasons for why testosterone can help improve your general wellbeing
We’ve covered some of the major reasons why pursuing testosterone replacement therapy would be beneficial for your general mood and sex drive for example.
However, testosterone massively impacts a great number of bodily functions and masculine development and we would like to dive into a few more benefits.
Increase muscle mass:
Increasing muscle mass is especially important in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to be able to carry out exercises more efficiently so that you can improve your cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength.
In patients who have suffered from certain conditions where muscle mass has been lost by a drastic percentage within a short space of time or general muscle loss for older men in particular.
As we get older, it is completely natural for our muscles to become weaker due to the reduction in testosterone production which is vital for maintaining muscle mass.
As your muscles get weaker, it is important to look at how this affects your life and whether the supplementary exercise that you are doing is allowing you to perform your daily tasks and routine to the same levels as you were able to before.
If you are finding yourself to be unable to carry out certain tasks anymore, then looking into a prescribed, regular dosage of testosterone to bring your T levels back to within a normal range for your age group should be a consideration.
Before taking any action with TRT, it is extremely important to consult a medical professional who will be able to advise you as to what will be the best steps for you moving forwards.
Increase body hair production:
If you’re losing body hair/facial hair then this could be a sign of decreased testosterone levels.
This issue isn’t synonymous to low T levels, alopecia and hair loss based on genetics are also common reasons for male-pattern baldness and hair loss in general.
Boosting your testosterone levels has however been linked to an increase in the production of body and facial hair.
Many people think that when taking testosterone, you will also increase the levels of DHT being produced in your body.
According to ‘balancemyhormones.co.uk’, there is no definitive link between an increase in testosterone production from TRT, etc., and an increase in DHT levels.
Behaviour:
You may have heard about some terms such as ‘roid rage’ being used in relation to bodybuilders and gym go-ers of the like taking steroids.
These types of stories tend to make national newspapers and get banded around the internet as a definite side-effect of taking testosterone.
This isn’t the case and oftentimes, T can be used to improve your behavioural patterns and mood in general.
There have been reported instances of an increase in competitiveness and aggression when taking T, however, this varies wildly from case to case and can be a result of a placebo effect when taking T or the individuals’ usual temperament.
Fat metabolism:
If you’re finding that your body is unable to metabolise fat at a reasonable rate in accordance with the exercise and caloric deficit that you are currently in.
Then this could be another sign of low T levels. Burning fat should never be the sole reason for taking T, and obesity can often cause major health concerns in combination with taking testosterone as well.
If you think that you are showing symptoms of low T levels, please take our quick questionnaire to determine what your next steps should be in getting yourself back to within the normal range for your specific age range in regards to your T levels.
Conclusion
Supplementing low levels of testosterone through TRT has been proven to show a wide range of benefits to your bodily functions and mental wellbeing.
There are a number of reasons why someone may have low T levels which can range from developing hypogonadism or being damaged in the testicles which is what produces testosterone in the male body.
It is important to note that you can get an extremely accurate representation of whether you have low T levels by taking our quick questionnaire to determine if you are experiencing any symptoms.
By purchasing a blood test, the results can be analysed by one of our highly qualified medical professionals so that we can put you on the right path to providing a solution to the problems you may be having.
If you would like to get in contact with a medical professional with over 35 years experience then feel free to contact us with any additional questions that you may have.