Men taking shortcuts with a drug that ‘kills your sperm’

Key Points:

• Approximately 11 million American men use testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), often without proper medical supervision, to address issues like low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, muscle building, and fatigue.
• TRT can significantly reduce or stop sperm production, leading to infertility, and may cause testicular shrinkage; sperm production may take months or years to recover after stopping TRT, and in some cases may not return.
• While TRT is generally safe when testosterone levels are kept within normal ranges under medical monitoring, improper use can cause high testosterone levels, leading to heart strain, acne, and breast tissue growth.
• TRT does not cause prostate cancer but can promote the growth of existing tumors, highlighting the need for cancer screening before and during treatment.
• Experts caution against using TRT without addressing underlying health issues like sleep apnea, obesity, or poor lifestyle habits, and suggest alternatives like clomiphene, enclomiphene, or hCG that may boost testosterone while preserving fertility.