Testosterone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands

Testosterone is an androgen sold in the U.S. under 9 brand and generic names, for breast neoplasms, hypogonadism and delayed puberty. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the FDA (openFDA label, NDC Directory & Enforcement) sourcesUpdated Jul 24, 2026How we research

Key facts

Drug class: Androgen
Treats (across its forms): Breast Neoplasms, Hypogonadism and Delayed Puberty
Available as: Film, extended release · Topical · Solution, metered · Topical, metered · Tablet, extended release
Sold as: 9 products — Androderm, Androgel and Axiron, and others
Prescription?: Prescription only
Generic available?: Not in our catalog
Half-life: about 10 to 100 minutes
What the pharmacy pays: about $0.65 per gm — not your price
Boxed warning: Boxed warning

How Androgel is dosed

From the FDA label for Androgel (application NDA021015). Other testosterone products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Dosage and Administration for testosterone gel 1% differs from testosterone gel 1.62%. For dosage and administration of testosterone gel 1.62% refer to its full prescribing information. ( 2 ) Prior to initiating testosterone gel 1%, confirm the diagnosis of hypogonadism by ensuring that serum testosterone concentrations have been measured in the morning on at least two separate days and that these serum testosterone concentrations are below the normal range. Dosage and Administration for testosterone gel 1% differs from testosterone gel 1.62%. For dosage and administration of testosterone gel 1.62% refer to its full prescribing information. ( 2 ) Prior to initiating testosterone gel 1%, confirm the diagnosis of hypogonadism by ensuring that serum testosterone has been measured in the morning on at least two separate days and that these concentrations are below the normal range ( 2 ). Starting dose of testosterone gel 1% is 50 mg of testosterone (4 pump actuations, two 25 mg packets or one 50 mg packet), applied once daily in the morning. ( 2.1 ) Apply to clean, dry, intact skin of shoulders and upper arms and/or abdomen. Do NOT apply testosterone gel 1% to any other parts of the body including the genitals, chest, armpits (axillae), knees, or back. ( 2.2 ) Dose adjustment: testosterone gel 1% can be dose adjusted using 50 mg, 75 mg, or 100 mg of testosterone on the basis of…

Everything below is the FDA label for Androgel (topical). Testosterone is also sold as film, extended release, solution, metered, topical, metered and tablet, extended release, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.

Androgel side effects

Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5%) are acne, application site reaction, abnormal lab tests, and prostatic disorders. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Prasco Laboratories at 1-866-525-0688 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trial Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Clinical Trials in Hypogonadal Men Table 2 shows the incidence of all adverse events judged by the investigator to be at least possibly related to treatment with testosterone gel 1% and reported by >1% of patients in a 180 Day, Phase 3 study. Table 2 : Adverse Events Possibly, Probably or Definitely Related to Use of Testosterone Gel 1% in the 180 Day Controlled Clinical Trial Adverse Event Dose of Testosterone Gel 1% 50 mg 75 mg 100 mg N = 77 N = 40 N = 78 Acne 1% 3% 8% Alopecia 1% 0% 1% Application Site Reaction 5% 3% 4% Asthenia 0% 3% 1% Depression 1% 0% 1% Emotional Lability 0% 3% 3% Gynecomastia 1% 0% 3% Headache 4% 3% 0% Hypertension 3% 0% 3% Lab Test Abnormal* 6% 5% 3% Libido Decreased 0% 3% 1% Nervousness 0% 3% 1% Pain Breast 1% 3% 1% Prostate Disorder** 3% 3% 5% Testis Disorder*** 3% 0% 0% * Lab test abnormal…

Who shouldn’t take Androgel

Testosterone gel 1% is contraindicated in men with carcinoma of the breast or known or suspected carcinoma of the prostate [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ), Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 ), and Nonclinical Toxicology ( 13.1 )] . Testosterone gel 1% is contraindicated in women who are pregnant. Testosterone gel 1% can cause virilization of the female fetus when administered to a pregnant woman. Pregnant women need to be aware of the potential for transfer of testosterone from men treated with testosterone gel 1%. If a pregnant woman is exposed to testosterone gel 1%, she should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) and Use in Specific Populations ( 8.1 )] . Men with carcinoma of the breast or known or suspected prostate cancer. ( 4 , 5.1 ) Women who are pregnant. Testosterone may cause fetal harm. ( 4 , 8.1 )

Androgel drug interactions

Androgens may decrease blood glucose and therefore may decrease insulin requirements in diabetic patients. ( 7.1 ) Changes in anticoagulant activity may be seen with androgens. More frequent monitoring of INR and prothrombin time is recommended. ( 7.2 ) Use of testosterone with adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or corticosteroids may result in increased fluid retention. Use with caution, particularly in patients with cardiac, renal, or hepatic disease. ( 7.3 ) 7.1 Insulin Changes in insulin sensitivity or glycemic control may occur in patients treated with androgens. In diabetic patients, the metabolic effects of androgens may decrease blood glucose and, therefore, may decrease insulin requirements. 7.2 Oral Anticoagulants Changes in anticoagulant activity may be seen with androgens, therefore more frequent monitoring of international normalized ratio (INR) and prothrombin time are recommended in patients taking anticoagulants, especially at the initiation and termination of androgen therapy. 7.3 Corticosteroids The concurrent use of testosterone with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or corticosteroids may result in increased fluid retention and requires careful monitoring particularly in patients with cardiac, renal or hepatic disease.

Every testosterone product we track (9)

Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.

Testosterone products
#	Drug	Rating	Type	Form	Generic?	Pharmacy pays
1	Androderm	72/100	Prescription	Film	Generic	$1	View →
2	Androgel Boxed warning	Not yet rated	Prescription	Topical	Generic	$1	View →
3	Axiron	Not yet rated	Prescription	Solution	Generic	$1	View →
4	Fortesta	Not yet rated	Prescription	Topical	Generic	$1	View →
5	Natesto	Not yet rated	Prescription	Topical	Generic	$1	View →
6	Striant	Not yet rated	Prescription	Tablet	Generic	$1	View →
7	Testim Boxed warning	Not yet rated	Prescription	Topical	Generic	$1	View →
8	Testoderm	Not yet rated	Prescription	Film	Generic	$1	View →
9	Testoderm Tts	Not yet rated	Prescription	Film	Generic	$1	View →

What testosterone pills look like

Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.

Testosterone pill imprints
Imprint	Strength	Colour	Shape	Maker
112	112.5 mg	white	capsule	—
MP100	100 mg	white	capsule	—
MP150	150 mg	white	capsule	—
MP200	200 mg	white	capsule	—
158	158 mg	red	capsule	—
198	198 mg	white	capsule	—
237	237 mg	orange	capsule	—

Combination products containing testosterone

A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.

Depo-Testadiol

Testosterone recalls

From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.

How long testosterone keeps

No testosterone label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.

Does testosterone expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labels

Testosterone and breastfeeding

From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.

Limited data indicate that a low-dose (100 mg) subcutaneous testosterone pellet given to a nursing mother appears not to increase milk testosterone levels markedly. Subcutaneous testosterone cypionate does increase milk testosterone levels. However, testosterone has low oral bioavailability because of extensive first-pass metabolism, so it appears to not increase serum testosterone levels in breastfed infants. Breastfed infants appear not to be adversely affected by maternal or transgender paternal testosterone therapy. High doses of testosterone can suppress lactation.

Full LactMed record for testosterone: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider instead

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised April 15, 2026. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.

What people report to the FDA about testosterone

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 31,733 reports naming testosterone, and the FDA flagged 58% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:

fatigue1,866 reports
myocardial infarction1,270 reports
nausea1,200 reports
headache1,156 reports
anxiety1,068 reports
asthenia953 reports
cerebrovascular accident942 reports
pulmonary embolism937 reports

Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean testosterone caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.

Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 26, 2026.

How long testosterone stays in your system

The elimination half-life of testosterone is about 10 to 100 minutes. This is the half-life of the natural testosterone hormone itself. The FDA label notes "considerable variation... ranging from 10 to 100 minutes," reflecting how quickly free testosterone is cleared. Two caveats matter for "how long it stays in your system": (1) Formulation dominates. Injectable esters are slow-release depots that far outlast the hormone's own half-life — testosterone cypionate ~8 days, enanthate ~4.5 days, undecanoate weeks — and oral testosterone undecanoate (Jatenzo, Kyzatrex) is a prodrug cleaved to testosterone. The 10-100 minute figure is the hormone's intrinsic clearance, not the duration of a shot. (2) Testosterone converts to active metabolites — dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol — that circulate on their own timelines. Inactivation occurs primarily in the liver, so hepatic impairment can slow clearance; ~90% is excreted in urine as conjugates. Half-life is not the drug-test detection window: anti-doping tests use the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio and isotope analysis and can flag use for far longer than clearance of the hormone.

AndroGel (testosterone gel) FDA label, DailyMed — Clinical Pharmacology ↗

Half-life is how long the body takes to clear half a dose. It is not the same as how long a drug test can detect it, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.

Related guides

DEA drug schedule explained →

Related calculators

How long it stays in your system →

Frequently asked questions

What is Androgel?

Androgel (Testosterone) is an androgen used to treat Breast Neoplasms, Hypogonadism, Delayed Puberty.

What kind of drug is testosterone?

The FDA classifies testosterone as an androgen. Androgens such as testosterone are male sex hormones that enter cells and bind the androgen receptor, switching on genes that drive male traits, muscle and bone growth, and reproductive function. Some testosterone is also converted in tissues to the more potent DHT. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.

How long does testosterone stay in your system?

The elimination half-life of testosterone is about 10 to 100 minutes — that is how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. This is the half-life of the natural testosterone hormone itself. The FDA label notes "considerable variation... ranging from 10 to 100 minutes," reflecting how quickly free testosterone is cleared. Two caveats matter for "how long it stays in your system": (1) Formulation dominates. Injectable esters are slow-release depots that far outlast the hormone's own half-life — testosterone cypionate ~8 days, enanthate ~4.5 days, undecanoate weeks — and oral testosterone undecanoate (Jatenzo, Kyzatrex) is a prodrug cleaved to testosterone. The 10-100 minute figure is the hormone's intrinsic clearance, not the duration of a shot. (2) Testosterone converts to active metabolites — dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and estradiol — that circulate on their own timelines. Inactivation occurs primarily in the liver, so hepatic impairment can slow clearance; ~90% is excreted in urine as conjugates. Half-life is not the drug-test detection window: anti-doping tests use the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio and isotope analysis and can flag use for far longer than clearance of the hormone. Half-life is not the same as how long a drug test can detect the drug, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.

Can you take testosterone with other medicines?

It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run testosterone against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.

What brand names is testosterone sold under?

We track 9 testosterone-containing products in the U.S.: Androderm, Androgel, Axiron, Fortesta, Natesto, Striant, Testim and Testoderm, and 1 more. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.

What forms does testosterone come in?

Across the brands we track, testosterone is currently marketed as film, extended release, topical, solution, metered, topical, metered and tablet, extended release, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.

Is there a generic testosterone?

We do not currently list a generic-labelled testosterone product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.

Has testosterone been recalled?

The FDA's Enforcement database lists at least 5 recall records whose product description mentions testosterone. The most recent: Testosterone (Jan 26, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.

Cite this page

APA: pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Testosterone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/testosterone
MLA: “Testosterone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/testosterone.

We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.

Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.

Read the full FDA label for testosterone on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.