Here’s How Long It Takes Real Patients to See TRT Results
Testosterone plays an important role in the male body, as it’s involved in various processes and functions, such as red blood cell and sperm production, muscle-building and fat distribution, strengthening and bone mass, sex drive and more.
When testosterone levels dip, you must find a way to increase supply, or else your body and health may suffer. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is a popular and effective treatment for balancing hormones and boosting testosterone in the body.
TRT offers many benefits, including improved bone density and muscle mass, elevated mood, less body fat and enhanced libido.
POWERED BY TRT
What Should You Expect on TRT?
TRT is most desirable for men needing bone and muscle support. TRT can definitely help you build muscle and retain your muscle, too.
It also helps treat anxiety and depression, encourages fat loss and can boost your sex drive for performance. Men with erectile dysfunction seeking treatment, in particular, find that TRT can help below the belt.
“These benefits vary, as they’re dependent on TRT dosing, diet and activity level, with exercise intensity and consistency as two pivotal factors,” says Lester Lee, M.D., a preventative and regenerative medical doctor and specialist in hormone replacement therapy.
There are a few methods to consider with TRT, and these include topicals, injectables, lozenges, pellets and mucosal patches, Lee notes.
These work differently for everyone, so always speak with your doctor or TRT specialist first to discuss methods and dosing options. Together, you’ll be able to figure out what works best.
Checking your T levels is easy with Hone’s at-home assessment. You can knock it out before your AM coffee.
If you have low T, our physicians can help you find your old self.
How Long are TRT Cycles?
You can—and should—stay on testosterone replacement therapy for as long as you continue to feel benefits from the treatment.
If the benefits are decreasing, you should consult your health care provider to discuss whether you should try tweaking your TRT regimen or cease TRT altogether. (More on how to safely stop TRT below.)
TRT and Fertility
TRT helps relieve symptoms of low T, but it can affect fertility by decreasing your sperm count. Infertility caused by TRT is not permanent, however, and you should talk with your doctor about your options. Other meds, like Clomid, can relieve symptoms of low T while protecting fertility.
How Long Does It Take For TRT to Start Working?
In short, about three weeks.
We’re about to get very granular about what to expect and when, but first, an important preface: improvements develop over time, so be patient and don’t freak out if you don’t see results right away.
Dr. Lee suggests waiting 60 days before deciding if your treatment plan’s working or not. More substantial changes typically happen about 60 days in, and not within the first month. It’s important to be realistic with your goals and expectations at each stage of the journey in order to give TRT a real shot. While exact time frames vary by person, estimating can be useful for reference and can help guide you through the process.
Here’s what to expect on TRT—after 30 days, 60 days and 90 days with treatment, from Lee as well as three of our Hone patients on TRT.
TRANSFORMED BY TRT
What to Expect on TRT After 4 Weeks
You should notice minor improvements within the first month, such as improvements in mood and energy levels, sleep quality, and mental health, says Lee. You might find yourself feeling well-rested when waking up, less groggy and irritable during the day, and more energized and motivated to take the stairs or hit the gym.
Your brain may feel less foggy and more alert, which in turn may increase productivity, too.
Together, these little improvements add up and can make for some pretty large rewards down the road—especially with age, when the risk of disease is heightened and there’s a great need for good health and high happiness levels, Lee notes.
Greg Brickey, 62, Hone Patient, On the First 30 Days
“Before TRT, I didn’t want to leave the house. I’d stay home and watch TV. I didn’t have the energy to socialize or do anything really. And I was very emotional.
I worked in a phone call center and I had to take breaks when people yelled at me because I would start to cry and had to gather myself.
The majority of changes from TRT came during the first month. An emotional change happened first within the first two weeks of treatment.
I was more level-headed and emotionally stable; I wasn’t crying at work or at commercials anymore. I started liking myself again.
I’ll also share that I had hair sprouting up in weird places, like on my back. I have pretty light hair so it wasn’t bad but it was new for me.”
Jon Dubovsky, 36, Hone Patient, On the First 30 Days
“I experimented with different types of anabolic steroids for years before, but I’ve been on TRT for three years now. Before, I was really unmotivated. I would work out but didn’t have much energy.
After two or three weeks on TRT, I started to feel changes. Words started coming faster. I regained my mental clarity. I even had morning wood again.
I remember the confidence of when I was 18 and felt bulletproof, and I started to feel that same fire, sexually and energy-wise.”
Kevin Gallagher, 43, Hone Patient, On the First 30 Days
“For the first three weeks, I felt a bit better, but I thought there was a placebo effect going on. From what I read, I thought it took time [for TRT] to build to a therapeutic level.
Before, just getting out of bed, and going to work was a chore. But within the third week of TRT, I felt more energy.
At the end of the first month, sexual urges and desires started to come back. I was getting morning wood and great erections again.
That first month, I started feeling more sociable again. I was chatting with friends and coworkers with more confidence.
I also gained 10 to 15 pounds of water weight, almost immediately. It took about six weeks for that water weight to come off.”
KNOW YOUR T
What to Expect on TRT After 8 Weeks
According to Lee, you should notice the same results after 60 days on TRT as you would just a month in, but of a greater size and with a few other perks.
“There’s enhanced muscularity and tone,” Lee says, which means you’ll start to “bulk up,” by building more mass and strength in your bones and muscles.
Look at yourself in the mirror—visually, you should see the difference. At this point, there will be more substantial improvements to track and get excited over, in comparison to when you first began treatment, as well as hit that 30-day mark.
Greg Brickey, 62, Hone Patient, On the First 60 Days
“I started wearing clothes I hadn’t worn in a long time. I was never heavy but some things were tight. As I put on more muscle, I was getting lean so they fit again.
I also started to lose the afternoon slump. I used to get so tired around 3pm but within two months of starting TRT, that lag went away.”
Kevin Gallagher, 43, Hone Patient, On the First 60 Days
“Before TRT, I had been working out and watching my diet, but wasn’t seeing progress. Now, two months in, I started putting on more muscle. I lost about 10 pounds, too. I could push harder at the gym again. My body composition totally started to change.
I stopped needing to take naps, and the quality of my sleep improved, too. I wake feeling more rested and feeling energized.
Before TRT, I felt like a bad father. I didn’t really want to play with my kids, but now I have the energy to play with them all the time. I started to have more meaningful conversations with my wife.
The brain fog was affecting my family and going on TRT made me more self aware. Now I’m an active member in the family, and my kids and wife treat me differently; it’s far better.
In terms of side effects, around this time, I got a greasy face and pimples. I hadn’t had an oily face since I was a teen, but it was back. I also got night sweats—I’d wake up and my bed would be soaked.”
What to Expect on TRT After 12 Weeks and Beyond
After 90 days, these substantial changes become more pronounced. TRT is well in effect, and the whole process speeds up to produce some incredible results. Dr. Lee explains that in addition to the benefits experienced after 60 days, there’s a decrease in body fat and a rapid continuation of toning and strengthening to support bone health and muscle mass.
“You can expect better definition and muscularity,” Lee says, and when combined with fat loss, you’ll really start to notice a trimmer, more lean, and chiseled figure.
Kevin Gallagher, 43, Hone Patient, On the First 90 Days
“I got really hairy at this point. I felt like a werewolf; my watch would get caught in my arm hair. Now I’m a hairy beast. But it’s worth the trade-off.
When you’re going through the motions and can barely get through those, you’re willing to take whatever medicine you need to feel better. When I started TRT, I made a mental commitment to make a life change.
I knew I was never going to have increased T on my own. The OTC stuff is never going to work. TRT makes you want to eat better, work out, and have a better body.
After three months, I didn’t feel hopeless anymore.”
Jon Dubovsky, 36, Hone Patient, On the First 90 Days
“Here, I really noticed the weight loss. I was able to fit into a blazer I hadn’t worn since high school, which was a huge ‘wow!’ moment.”
Greg Brickey, 62, Hone Patient, On the First 90 Days
“I fall asleep faster than I ever did, and I sleep better, too.
My son has a disability and I used to get mad at him for things I knew weren’t his fault. But I couldn’t stop myself and we wouldn’t talk for a few days sometimes. Now I can catch myself when I get mad. I still get frustrated but I can catch myself and stop it. My kids say that I’m more patient.”
What are the TRT Risks, Drawbacks, and Side Effects?
Dr. Lee notes that there are a few side effects of TRT to be wary of, and the best way to prevent adverse reactions is to maintain proper care with dosing and your treatment plan. If you notice any unpleasant or concerning side effects, address it with your doctor.
You may experience acne or hair loss, as well as gynecomastia, Lee says, which is “female breast tissue due to high levels of estrogen that’s converted from testosterone.”
Another potential drawback is stunted growth. “If testosterone is taken during adolescence, stunted growth can occur due to growth plate stimulation and premature fusion,” he says.
TRT can also increase the risk of heart disease. “Excessive amounts of testosterone above physiologic levels increase LDL (bad fats) and lower HDL (good fats),” Lee says.
It may also affect your liver and kidneys, leading to high toxicity levels, he adds. And, you might notice swelling and water retention, as well as enlargement of the prostate gland, too, Lee notes.
Lastly, decreased sperm production can be an issue on TRT—“therefore, fertility in men with pre-existing low sperm production,” Lee says. “TRT will further suppress spermatogenesis, and the longer the period of time on TRT, the more suppression of sperm production,” he says.
Can You Stop TRT?
Yes. While it’s safe to remain on TRT as long as it’s properly monitored long-term by your doctor or TRT medical specialist, you may find a reason to stop treatment at some point, even if it’s just to take a break.
Dr. Lee recommends taking a TRT hormone break twice a year and getting routine evaluations to monitor vital stats, like lipids, PSA, CBC, and liver and kidney function.
“Your doctor can help you figure out the timing and duration of these breaks in the year,” Dr. Lee notes. The reappearance of symptoms is inevitable, unfortunately.
“If you stop TRT, previous symptoms of hypogonadism return as well as mood disorder (depression, poor motivation),” Lee warns. “It’s not recommended to stop TRT abruptly or ‘cold turkey,’” Dr. Lee says. “Levels plummet by the 2-3rd week injection,” he adds.
For more on how to safely stop TRT, read our piece from our medical advisor.
Checking your T levels is easy with Hone’s at-home assessment. You can knock it out before your AM coffee.
If you have low T, our physicians can help you find your “after.”
