Original Research—Endocrinology: Comparison of the Steady-State Pharmacokinetics, Metabolism, and Variability of a Transdermal Testosterone Patch Versus a Transdermal Testosterone Gel in Hypogonadal Men
March 2005
in “
The journal of sexual medicine
”
TLDR The testosterone patch and gel are both effective, but they have different absorption patterns and effects on hormone levels.
The study compared the pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and variability of a testosterone patch versus a testosterone gel in 28 hypogonadal men over 14 days. The patch mimicked the circadian testosterone pattern, while the gel produced a flatter profile with variable peaks. Both treatments were bioequivalent in terms of average and maximum testosterone levels, but the patch had lower minimum levels. The gel resulted in 2 to 3-fold higher dihydrotestosterone levels. Variability in peak times was much higher for the gel. Both treatments were well tolerated, with the patch adhering well. These results highlighted different absorption mechanisms and provided insights for selecting testosterone therapies.
