02 Apr The Truth About Testosterone and Male Fertility

There are many men today who struggle with low testosterone. Low testosterone is not only common, but it also comes with a number of different side effects as well. Most people have heard that low testosterone can impact sex drive and even contribute to erectile dysfunction.

The good news is, there are plenty of safe treatments out there that can help with low testosterone—and testosterone replacement therapy can really help get these side effects under control. However, before you start a testosterone replacement therapy program, it is important to understand that it can impact a man’s reproductive potential.

Recent studies have found that men can drop their sperm count while taking testosterone treatments. There is some confusion about testosterone and fertility. It is important to note that while testosterone plays an important role in making sperm—taking testosterone replacement therapies will actually decrease fertility. In fact, some people refer to testosterone replacement therapies as a form of male birth control.

This is because when you increase your testosterone levels with these treatments—your brain thinks that you now have enough testosterone in the body. So, it stops sending signals for the testes to make more testosterone—which makes sperm production go down. Low sperm count makes it harder to conceive a child.

So, while treatments such as the pellets, patches and injections we offer are relatively safe and can help improve the quality of life for many men—and help many men with the negative side effects of low testosterone, these treatments aren’t for everyone. However, at LT Men’s Clinic we offer Human Chorionic Gonadotropin for men wanting to maintain fertility while on testosterone replacement therapy. HCG is a hormone that essentially mimics Luteinizing Hormone. It stimulates the Leydig cells within the testes to produce testosterone and sperm production. So, you can actually reap the benefits of a healthy testosterone while remaining fertile. 

If you have questions about testosterone and how it can impact male fertility, we can help. Contact LT Men’s Clinic today by calling 817-369-3605 to make an appointment. You can meet with one of our medical professionals to learn more about whether or not testosterone treatments may be right for you.