Low T-Is Clomid a Solution For Men Who Wish To Have Children?

I am now seeing many younger men with low testosterone levels who have symptoms of lethargy, decreased libido, and problems with their erections. Upon further testing, many of these men are found to have low testosterone levels or low T. This blog will discuss the use of Clomid for the management of younger men with low T levels.

Whether you are a 30, 50, 80 or even 110 year old man, having low testosterone levels (hypogonadism) is neither fun nor healthy. The symptoms of low testosterone in men range from lack of energy, depressed mood, loss of vitality, muscle loss, muscles aches, low libido, erectile dysfunction, and weight gain.
Low testosterone in men may be caused by problems in the testes (or gonads). This is called primary hypogonadism and can be brought on by the mumps, testicular trauma, or testicular cancer, etc., and is often treated with testosterone replacement therapy.

Traditionally, if low testosterone is diagnosed, testosterone replacement therapy is prescribed, and it most commonly comes in the form of a cream, gel, pellet, patch, and by injection. And although these types of therapy are effective, some methods are better than others, and there are side-effects with all of them. For example, testicular shrinkage, gynecomastia (breast enlargement), low sperm count/sterility, and polycythemia (overproduction of red blood cells) are common side-effects of testosterone replacement therapy.
However, specifically due to the risk of sterility and low sperm count, such testosterone treatments aren’t a good option for men who want to have children. In these young men, clomiphene citrate (or Clomid) and/or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) have been used for decades to increase testosterone production, increase sperm production, and increase fertility. Both these therapies effectively help stimulate the testes to produce testosterone and thereby increase testosterone levels.

Clomid works by stimulating the pituitary gland to make more LH and there is an increased production of testosterone by the testes. HCG works by mimicking LH, which also increases the release of LH to produce more testosterone in the testes. I caution you that using testosterone in a young man wishing to have more children does the opposite of what clomiphene and HCG do and can shut off the release of LH and thus affect the testicles production of testosterone and affect sperm production.

With traditional testosterone replacement therapy, the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary) gets the message that there is plenty of testosterone being made in the testes, so much so that it doesn’t need to make anymore. Subsequently, the pituitary stops producing LH, and the natural production of testosterone (and sperm) in the testes ceases, which is why traditional testosterone replacement results in testicular shrinkage and low sperm count. Clomiphene citrate and/or HCG do not turn off the testosterone manufacturing plant but rather turn it back on or reboot it. While some hypogonadal men require continuous use of clomiphene, for others it can be used for a 3-6 month time period and then discontinued. And, the checks and balances system is not interrupted, so there aren’t the testosterone replacement side-effects which may occur with tstosterone injections, gels, or pellets.
The 5 Main Reasons Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) May be a Good Alternative to Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Men with Low Testosterone Due to Secondary Hypogonadism:
1. Clomiphene citrate stimulates the body’s own production of testosterone
2. Clomiphene citrate doesn’t interfere with the body’s checks and balances of testosterone
3. Clomiphene citrate comes as a pill easily administered by mouth
4. Clomiphene citrate is generic and very cheap
5. Clomiphene citrate has little side-effects and low risk of developing these side-effects

Bottom Line: Clomid is a treatment option in young men with low T who wish to continue to have children.