It may surprise you to know that testosterone therapy benefits for muscle mass are equally as important for women as they are for men. The fact that males have a higher ratio of lean muscle to fat is often associated with the greater amount of testosterone in their bodies. That is also why people tend to lose muscle and gain fat when they reach menopause and andropause.

By the time many men enter their thirties, their testosterone levels start to decline. Women do not face this problem until menopause in most cases.

It is a well-known fact that testosterone builds muscle mass.

Does that mean that using testosterone replacement therapy to counteract the effects of Low T will build bulging biceps?

No, that is reserved for bodybuilders and athletes that use testosterone illegally for physical enhancement. You would have to combine extreme strength training and weight-bearing exercise with testosterone to accomplish that. An important note here: it is illegal to use testosterone for these purposes, and Kingsberg HRT Clinic does not work with athletes and bodybuilders looking for steroids.

How does testosterone increase muscle mass in adults with Low T?

Testosterone works in a number of different ways to stimulate muscle growth. To learn how testosterone increases muscle mass we start by looking to the pituitary gland and its release of growth hormone, a chemical messenger that stimulates cell reproduction. Testosterone signals arrive in the brain and tell the hypothalamus to release other hormones, including growth hormone-releasing hormone. Growth hormone then provides an abundant supply of new cells ready to improve lean muscle mass.

Why Low T Decreases Muscle Mass

When the body is deficient in testosterone, critical signals do not reach the brain in an abundant supply necessary to stimulate other hormone secretions. Testosterone affects muscle mass by decreasing the GH responses that are essential for skeletal muscle’s cellular amino acid uptake and protein synthesis.

As we look at testosterone and muscle mass, we see that skeletal muscle consists of thread-like myofibrils and sarcomeres that form a muscle fiber. The presence at the muscle fiber site of neurotransmitters relies on DNA that increases their abundance along with improving protein synthesis all stimulated by testosterone’s interaction with nuclear receptors.

Another way that testosterone increases muscle mass is by making the cell receptors on muscles more sensitive to testosterone’s effects. Additionally, by stimulating the release of growth hormone, it is also increasing insulin growth factor 1 release, which has beneficial effects on the necessary amino acid and glucose uptake in muscle, along with activating the satellite cells that help to increase muscle growth.

Improve Your Muscle Mass with Testosterone Injections

The use of testosterone injections for muscle mass by men diagnosed with Low T has superior benefits for body composition. During the first six months of TRT, males often notice an increase of three to six pounds of lean body muscle. At the same time, they also note a loss of body fat in roughly the same amount. Women can receive the same benefits by using testosterone cream compounded to their specific needs.

When you increase muscle mass and testosterone to counter the effects of Low T, you restore something that was previously there and then taken away. Most people find that their bodies were in the best physical shape when they were in their twenties. For adults who started to engage in proper workouts at that time of their lives, entering their thirties would not be much of a problem. In fact, hormone production is typically higher in people who do engage in regular exercise.

For those individuals with Low T who turn to testosterone injections, muscle mass will be restored to the point it was at before the testosterone decline began, but any further gain will likely taper off once a natural state is reached. To continue to see further improvements by way of increased lean muscle mass and strength, exercises consisting of weight-bearing and strength training routines should be added to the protocol.

To speak with a hormone specialist to learn more about low testosterone, muscle mass decline, and growth, or anything else to do with hormonal deficiency or imbalance, please contact Kingsberg HRT Clinic by completing the short form on this page or calling us direct at (954) 800-5590 for a confidential consultation at no charge.