Testosterone Supplementation to Speed Post Surgical Healing

[Vtail]

My nephew is 31 and tore his pec years ago while bench pressing. It's gotten worse and he is going to have it surgically repaired sometime this month and asked me if I thought he should supplement with Testosterone for a few weeks/months to speed up the healing. He's never done steroids of any type, however over the last couple of years he has seen the positive change in my body composition, and at one time or another I mentioned how minor injuries heal quicker (cuts and bruises).

I suggested against him using testosterone due to the side effects many of us deal with, and also since he's young and a fairly recent blood test had his total and free test levels in mid-range (I don't recall the exact numbers). He has a friend that is 'unusually' muscular, so I'm sure he can get whatever meds he wants. I just want to make sure he knows what he's getting in to. Maybe its not a bad idea?? But it seems to me that he would have to inject upwards of 100mg/week to get to a blood level higher than his already is, considering his own production will shut down. Anyway, I'm not sure whether he will listen to me or not - but I want to steer him in the right direction and am interested to hear what the brain-trust has to say on this topic. Thanks in advance.

 

[Cataceous]

I think it's good you advised against it. Although the chance of causing permanent HPTA dysfunction is small, we know it happens. Aside from that, is there any solid evidence for improved healing via testosterone supplementation in eugonadal men? It seems as though some of the peptides would be more appropriate, though even with these the anecdotal evidence is mixed, at best.

 

[Vince]

If he starts using testosterone at age 31. There's probably no turning back, he'll just want to keep increasing his dose. And probably end up doing a cycle.