不当使用睾酮可能对男性生育能力造成严重且难以逆转的伤害。当男性自行注射睾酮时，大脑会感知血液中激素水平升高，进而向睾丸发出停止产生睾酮的信号，导致精子生成停止[1]。部分自行用药者的睾酮水平甚至超过临床下限四倍以上[1]。
医学上诊断低睾酮的阈值为每分升血液300纳克，该阈值需由至少两次不同时间的血液检测确认[1]。无监督使用睾酮可能导致包括血栓形成、心血管压力、情绪不稳定和不可逆转的生育损伤在内的多种后果[1]。最令人担忧的是，停用睾酮的男性中，十分之一至五分之一永久无法恢复自身产生睾酮的能力[1]。睾酮在青春期达到峰值，通常在13至15岁之间，之后终身缓慢下降[1]。
Men who self-administer testosterone without medical supervision face serious health risks, including potentially permanent damage to their ability to produce sperm.[1] When testosterone is injected without clinical need, the brain detects abnormally elevated hormone levels in the bloodstream and signals the testicles to halt testosterone production, effectively stopping sperm generation.[1] Some self-medicating men have testosterone levels exceeding clinical thresholds by more than four times, yet remain unaware of the consequences.[1]
The damage from unsupervised testosterone use can be irreversible. Between one-tenth and one-fifth of men who discontinue testosterone therapy never fully recover their body's natural ability to produce the hormone.[1] Beyond fertility concerns, potential complications include blood clots, cardiovascular stress, and mood instability.[1] Medical diagnosis of low testosterone is based on a threshold of 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood, a level that must be confirmed through at least two separate blood tests at different times.[1] Testosterone naturally peaks during puberty, typically between ages 13 and 15, then declines gradually throughout life.[1]