The positive benefits that testosterone therapy supposedly gives you are amazing, they can help to increase your lean muscle mass, increase your sex drive, raise your energy level, and improve your concentration and memory.
So if you are above the age of 40 years and you are a man, you might see this substance as the mythical fountain of youth that you can use for anti-aging.
However the truth is that the benefits that testosterone therapy gives for declining T-levels that is caused by aging is not as obvious as it may seem.
Before you make your choice on whether to use this therapy as part of your anti aging formula, you need to be aware of the true facts.
First Of All What Is Testosterone? Testosterone is regarded as being the primary male hormone since men have more of this substance in their bodies than women, and in men it is produced in the testicles.
In men, this hormone helps in maintaining the following:

• Sex drive
• Red blood cell production
• Lean muscle size and strength
• Production of sperm
• Distribution of fats
• Density and strength of bones

There is a disease that is called Hypogonadism that affects the body's ability to produce the required quantity of this essential male hormone because there is a problem with either the pituitary gland that controls the testicles or the testicles itself.
In this scenario, testosterone replacement therapy is important as it is needed to deal with the symptoms of low testosterone in men.
In these situations doctors usually prescribe this hormone in the form of injections, gels, patches or pellets.
So What About Age-Related Testosterone Levels Decline? In a man's teenage and early adulthood years he usually has extremely high amounts of testosterone.
However this changes as he grows older.
Once a man has crossed the age of 30 years, his T-levels begin to decline at a rate of 1 percent a year.
This is why middle aged and older men need to first find out if their low T-levels are as result of the normal aging process or if it is actually the disease (hypogonadism) that is the problem.
Is Decline Testosterone Levels Responsible For Triggering The Symptoms Of Aging? Not really! As men grow older, there are so many aging symptoms that gradually show up, some are directly related to the reducing T-levels and they include:

• Reduce Sexual Abilities.
  This one usually shows itself in a decrease in sexual desire, lesser strong erections during sleep (and first thing in the morning) and in some cases infertility.
  
• Sleep Patterns Become Altered.
  Some men gradually begin experiencing insomnia or some other types of sleep disturbances.
  
• Changes In Physical Appearance.
  This one is usually obvious for the whole world to see.
  Some of these physical changes that occur in men include: increase in body fat, decrease in lean muscle mass and strength, reduced bone strength and density, hair loss, tender or swollen breasts (this is regarded as gynecomastia), reduction in energy levels and experiencing of hot flashes
• Emotional Issues Low levels of this essential male hormone usually cause a reduction in motivation and self-confidence.
  You would discover that you might feel sad, depressed, have troubles in paying attention to important things or even forgetting important issues.
  

You should however be aware that some of these symptoms are the normal signs of aging.
In some cases some of these health issues might be caused by some other factors like: medications, thyroid, excessive alcohol use or depression.
The best way to find out if you have low T-level is by going for a blood test.
So Is It Possible For Testosterone Therapy To Restore Vitality And Vigor? When it comes to the effects of hypogonadism, this therapy is very helpful as it can assist in reversing the effect, however when it comes to the issue of older men that want a boost in their T-levels back to how they were when they were in their 20s, it is not really known whether this is healthy.
There are a few men that are of the belief that using medications would assist them in increasing their vigor, strength and in feeling younger as they grow older.
There are just a few detailed researches that have thoroughly examined these therapies in men that have normal T-levels for their age - the thing is that so many of these studies have mixed results.
An example is a study in which normal healthy men used testosterone medications which helped them in increasing muscle mass but they had no increase at all in strength.
So What Exactly Are The Risks Of Using Testosterone Therapy For Normal Aging? The truth is that using this therapy for normal aging comes with a few risks that you need to be aware of before going ahead.
Here are some risks that come with this therapy:

• Acne or other skin reactions can occur
• Can cause enlarged breasts
• Reduces sperm production and can even result in shrinkage of the testicles
• It can trigger the body to produce too many red blood cells (polycythemia) and this increases your chances of heart diseases tremendously
• Sleep apnea can occur - this is a sleeping disorder where breathing stops and starts repeatedly.
  It is more serious than you think!
• It may trigger the noncancerous growth of prostate (this known as benign prostatic hyperplasia) and in some situations it could trigger the growth of existing prostate cancer.
  

Are You Wondering Whether You Should Talk To Your Doctor Concerning Testosterone Therapy? I am sure you must be wondering whether you should use this therapy, you might want to have a long and detailed talk with your doctor to know more about the benefits and risks.
If you have a serious medical condition that causes an abnormal reduction in your T-levels then you are justified when it comes to using this therapy.
But when it comes to the normal decline in testosterone that comes with aging then this therapy is a no no.
I advise you talk to your doctor before making this decision.