Testosterone molecule

3 Top TRT Side Effects and How to Stop Them

By Erik Bos • 6 min read •

from February 15, 2021

TRT side effects can be dangerous if your Calgary doctor doesn’t not know how to manage the effects and unintended consequences of replacement therapy.

TRT side effects

In this article we will talk about the 3 most common preventable TRT side effects.

Hematocrit RBC and Ferritin Increases From TRT

Generally most trt patients are older men, and as men age, iron (ferritin) levels increase and can put patients at a 5 times risk of cardiovascular heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cancer, cholesterol issues, heart failure, elevated fasting insulin, obesity and insulin resistance. Having a high normal or borderline reading will not trigger most doctors to notice. But there is a simple way to keep the levels back to a normal reading. By getting a phlebotomy (blood letting) patients could see a lower iron value.

The easiest way is to donate blood on a regular basis, every 60 days or so. One of the other TRT side effects in patients, can be that they get low iron or borderline low values upon donating. By taking a iron supplement, like a Ferrous Gluconate every day or more commonly, every second day could put the TRT patient into a normal range. It may seem unusual to take something away only to add it back but the benefits of TRT out way the slight inconvenience. The blood banks are always happy to accept new donors, especially if you have a rare blood type.

Too much or too little estrogen can, be very dangerous, the patient should always strive to have a middle normal blood range. As men age, estrogen increases. When too little estrogen, the patient can have side effects like

  • Hair loss
  • Weight gain
  • Poor concentration
  • Depression
  • Joint aches
  • Higher cardiovascular disease risk
  • Low sex drive

When estrogen is too high side effects in men can include:

A lot of doctors prescribe an aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole (better for men with MPB) or the newer exemestane which doesn’t have a estrogen rebound effect like anastrozole. Most GP’s tend to dose aromatase inhibitors too high relative to the testosterone dose, creating a TRT side effect. But when patients are carrying more fat, they tend to be more estrogenic and require a higher dosage of aromatase inhibitors until the body fat percentage is lowered. Therefore, the top priority of TRT patients is to get down to a lower body fat. Which in turn helps insulin response, speed metabolism, extradite toxins stored in fat tissue, possible lower blood pressure and better aesthetics.

Blood Clots with Testosterone Replacement Therapy

The 3rd TRT side effect can include the risk of blood clots. Testosterone can synergistically work with a lipid called thromboxane, and may increase men’s blood vessel constriction. What can happen is the blood slows thus making, in therapy more blood clots to occur. Deep vein thrombosis can happen to clots that form in major arteries or veins, particularly with the legs. The clots formed, if they break away from the veins can travel freely within the body. If they end up in the lungs to create a pulmonary embolism, and within the brain, can cause a stroke.

A patient could prevent this a couple different ways. Every year about 900,000 Americans die of thrombosis, some of those as a TRT side effect. In many cases a blood thinner would be prescribed but there are more issues with taking those types of pharmaceuticals that we will cover later.

To help protect against these TRT side effects a patient could start vigorous exercise (at the prescribing physicians digression) and get the blood circulating, that boost can reduce your risk by 22%. Also sitting too long can put you at risk so get up every half an hour and pace around. Increase your intake of Vitamin K, which has shown to be very beneficial by breaking down arterial plaque and increasing the flexibility of arteries.

At the Mas Clinic we are dedicated to optimal men’s health. Sign up today to get on our TRT waitlist and avoid TRT side effects.