Endocr Rev, Vol. 34 (03_MeetingAbstracts): MON-594
Evaluation of the efficacy of subcutaneous administration of testosterone in female to male transexuals and hypogonadal males
FDA-approved indications for depot testosterone (T) only allow it to be administered intramuscularly (IM). Barriers to IM testosterone injections are pain/discomfort/hematoma and the frequent necessity for a nurse or other person to administer the injection which can be inconvenient and expensive. Barriers to alternative transdermal preparations are expense (often not covered by insurance), local reactions, and the fear of skin to skin transmission. Based on the personal experience of one of us (NS) and the late Jack Crawford MD with weekly subcutaneous (SC) T injections for the management of female to male (FTM) transgender patients, we have initiated a prospective study with the intent of enrolling 20 patients to assess the safety and absorption of SQ T therapy in a population of FTM individuals and classical hypogonadal males. The initial 7 patients (5 FTM and 2 hypogonadal males) ranged in age from 18-58 (mean 28.2 ± 5.9SE). T enanthate or cypionate was administered at a dose of 50-60 mg sc once weekly using 5/8″ 23g or 25g needles. Serum total T concentrations were measured by tandem mass spectrometry. T levels were well within the therapeutic range varying from 320-824 ng/dL (mean 608± 82SE). No adverse reactions at the site of injection or otherwise were reported or observed. The injections were easily self-administered except for one patient who was blind. Initial data from our study are promising regarding the SC administration of T. SC T was well tolerated and produced therapeutic serum concentrations at doses generally lower than required for IM injections. These data will provide a foundation for additional studies of pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety to hopefully characterize SC T as a safe, convenient, and affordable alternative to IM injections.
Note from Nelson: At the doses used, half of the subjects had total testosterone blood levels under 608 ng/dL but some were able to attain TT as high as 824 ng/dL, so we are all different in our response to testosterone injections.
Recent Posts
Is Metformin a Miracle Drug ? : Nelson Vergel Explains
Jay Campbell invited me to present a review of relevant data on the use of Metformin in men with and without diabetes. I hope...
ED Drugs Troches and Capsules- Recommendations
Compounded PDE-5 Inhibitor Compounded Formulations (Empower Pharmacy) by Dosage Form:
I. Buccal Troche
Definition: Troches are small lozenges that dissolve between the cheek and gum over...
Testosterone Therapeutic Options and Best Practices
Transcript:
Testosterone Therapeutic Options and Best Practices
This excellent lecture is recommended for clinicians and educated patients.
From largest urology conference in the world (2015)
Lecture Video
TRANSCRIPTION:
Speaker 1:...
Nelson Vergel’s Top 10 Testosterone Replacement Commandments (Video)
Nelson Vergel's Top 10 Testosterone Replacement Commandments (Video)
Nelson Vergel, author of Testosterone: A Man's Guide (Amazon.com) and founder of ExcelMale.com and DiscountedLabs.com, talks about...
Nelson’s Top Tricks for Fat Loss
Get real. Ask yourself: What is getting in the way of my health? What excuses am I using to not start giving a damn?...