Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Men taking hormone medication to treat testosterone deficiency.

Women taking testosterone for menopausal symptoms. See Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Masculinising hormones taken to support gender transition. See Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals.

See:
Is there an entry for the underlying condition for which the hormones are being given?

Must not donate if:

1. The medication is not prescribed and monitored by a UK registered practitioner.
2. The donor has known polycythaemia, or a raised haematocrit and/or haemoglobin.
3. The medication is used for malignancy or other condition which precludes donation.
4. The donor is a recipient of human gonadotrophin of pituitary origin.

If:

1. Treatment is prescribed and monitored by a UK registered practitioner, and
2. The donor is otherwise eligible with regards to the underlying cause of testosterone deficiency, and
3. The donor has a normal haemoglobin and/or haematocrit, and
4. If treated with gonadotrophins, these are exclusively non-pituitary derived, and
5. If donor meets haemoglobin estimation criteria,

accept.

Addiction and Drug Abuse
Adrenal Failure
Anti-Androgens
Blood Safety Entry
Erectile Dysfunction
Haemochromatosis
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Malignancy
Polycythaemia and Raised Haemoglobin
Prion Associated Diseases
Steroid Therapy
Thyroid Disease
Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals

Testosterone deficiency (TD) affects around 2.1% of men aged between 40 and 79 years of age. TD can result from an issue with testicular function, or with parts of the brain that signal testosterone production. Causes of TD include, but are not restricted to, aging, obesity, injury, medications, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some genetic conditions, haemochromatosis, cancer treatment and anabolic steroid misuse.

Treatment is recommended for men who have symptoms associated with low testosterone levels, e.g. fatigue, low mood or erectile dysfunction. Treatment includes taking testosterone, which may be combined with other hormone medications, e.g. gonadotrophins (HCG) and anastrozole. The use of human gonadotrophin of pituitary origin stopped in the UK by 1986.

Individuals taking testosterone must have ongoing follow up with a UK registered health practitioner (haematocrit monitoring is required because testosterone therapy can cause polycythaemia). Blood donation should not be used to prevent medication associated polycythaemia/raised haematocrit. Treatment for polycythaemia/raised haematocrit includes changing testosterone preparation or dose. It is important that donors with known polycythaemia, a raised haematocrit or haemoglobin (including at health screening), or whose motivation to give blood is to prevent or treat polycythaemia are deferred and advised to seek advice from their health provider.

This is a new entry.