There are many different methods of increasing your testosterone levels including testosterone gels, testosterone injections, and natural testosterone boosters. All three of these methods are generally effective, but some more than others. Regardless of which option you choose, how long does it take for testosterone to work? We’ll answer that question and more in depth!
What happens when you start taking testosterone?
When you start taking a natural testosterone booster, what happens is the ingredients stimulate your body to produce more of its own testosterone. This is the most effective and safest way to increase testosterone levels because it is the only method that helps your body create more testosterone naturally rather than synthetically.
If you were to utilize TRT (testosterone replacement therapy), the process changes dramatically. What happens is you have to visit your doctor either weekly or monthly for an injection, which is costly and time consuming, but there’s a much bigger problem at hand with TRT.
The testosterone in use is synthetic, so what happens in this method is you are forcing a foreign, synthetic substance into your body as opposed to stimulating natural testosterone production from within the body. The body does not respond well to foreign substances, which is why TRT creates so many side effects.
When you use testosterone gel, you apply it directly to the skin daily and the testosterone is absorbed through the skin. Seems simple enough, right? Well, it’s actually a lot more complicated and problematic than it sounds. The testosterone in the gel is again synthetic, causing side effects, and the cherry on top is the gel can rub off onto your loved ones and give them side effects too.
How long does it take for testosterone to work?
With any of the three methods of boosting testosterone, the results start to show pretty quickly. You can typically feel the benefits within hours of injection, gel application, or capsule consumption. All methods are pretty fast acting and produce very solid short term results, but the question you need to be asking is – what about the long term?
The natural route is the best option in the long term for a couple of reasons. First and most importantly, the results are sustainable and your body doesn’t build a tolerance since it is using its own testosterone as opposed to synthetic testosterone.
Secondly, methods that involve synthetic testosterone like TRT or gels are effective in the short term and work quickly, but over the long term, you could start to experience some pretty severe side effects as a result of your body rejecting the synthetic substance.
The bottom line is natural testosterone boosters work quickly in the short term, the results are sustainable over the long term, and you don’t have to worry about side effects since there are no synthetic ingredients being used.
Here’s how long it takes to feel the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)
Testosterone Injections
TRT kicks in pretty quickly, and you should start to notice some minor benefits in the short term. It ultimately depends on how severely low your testosterone levels are when you begin TRT. If you have extremely low levels, it may take longer for you to start feeling the effects.
On the other hand, assuming your levels are relatively healthy already, the effects will come much faster. Generally, you can expect to start noticing the effects within a couple of weeks.
The problem is that it’s only a matter of time before you start noticing the bad kind of effects – the side effects.
Testosterone Pills
To clarify, when we refer to testosterone pills, we are talking about synthetic pills administered by your doctor, not capsules that you can buy over the counter. These pills should kick in within a couple of days. They are pretty fast acting, but again, the problem here is that the side effects are fast acting as well.
Testosterone pills are much better than injections because they are less expensive, less painful, and much more convenient. Those are the benefits, but the down side is that they still come with all of the same problems and side effects as injections come with.
Testosterone Gels & Creams
In my opinion, gels and creams are the worst option by far. The biggest problem is that the testosterone is not real – it is again synthetic. In that way, gels and creams are similar to pills and injections. All three methods have the same core issue and cause the same side effects.
However, the reason gels and creams are even worse is because as I mentioned earlier, they can rub off onto other people. If you apply it in the morning and then hug your wife or daughter without thinking about it, you could rub some of the gel off onto them…and yes, that will cause them to experience side effects. That’s why I’m strongly against testosterone gels.
Testosterone Boosters
Testosterone boosters are the way to go, without question. This route is minimal risk, maximum reward. Test boosters utilize 100% natural ingredients, they’re inexpensive, and they’re extremely convenient. All you have to do is take a couple of capsules per day, and you’ll start experiencing results pretty soon.
The major key difference here is that the ingredients these capsules contain are designed to cause testosterone production from within. That’s the key. If you can get your body to produce more of its own hormone that it already recognizes, you can reap all of the benefits without having to worry about the side effects.
However, make sure you select a high quality testosterone booster made by a reputable brand. There are some low quality, sketchy ones out there that simply don’t work. Check out our Testosterone Boosters section to see our top 10 ranked options.
Key takeaways
To summarize, it doesn’t take very long for testosterone to work at all. It should start working within days. However, the most important decision you need to make is about the method you choose. I would recommend avoiding injections and gels. Natural testosterone boosters are the best way to go in terms of risk/reward, and the truly top notch ones are very effective within days of use.
FAQs
Can testosterone increase size?
Nothing can physically increase the size of your penis, but really effective testosterone boosters can help improve erection quality, firmness, and blood flow. Technically it can not increase size, but it can help you get the absolute most out of what you have.
How long does a testosterone shot last?
It depends on your doctor and what type of shots you are getting, but generally an injection lasts for about a week. The most standard TRT procedure involves having to get weekly shots at the doctor’s office.
What are the benefits of testosterone injections?
The benefits are that injections work pretty quickly, and there’s a low chance the injection won’t work. However, the cons far outweigh the pros here. You have to deal with side effects, painful injections, inconvenience, and it costs a lot of money.
Does testosterone change your personality?
Testosterone is not like anabolic steroids with regard to personality change. It does not make you angry or irritable like steroids do. The only personality change some people report is increased confidence as a result of being able to perform in the bedroom, looking better, and feeling better.
What is the best TRT method?
The best TRT method actually isn’t technically TRT at all. It’s not gels, and it’s not injections. It is natural testosterone boosters. These supplements are absolutely ground breaking and revolutionary. They can provide the benefits of TRT without the side effects – what else do I need to say?
Once you start testosterone therapy can you stop?
Yes, you can stop, but not without side effects. If you stop suddenly, you will experience a decline in sex drive, energy levels, etc. However, if you are using a natural testosterone booster, you can typically start it and stop it whenever you want without having to worry about major issues since they fix the problem from the inside as opposed to doing it synthetically.
I’m not just a supplement analyst. I’m an extremely qualified one! I am a Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) and actually received my certification directly from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I am also a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, certified by the American Fitness Professionals Association (AFPA).
