This article originally appeared on VICE Netherlands. A few weeks back, I felt my eyesight getting hazier. I went to the optometrist for an eye test and, weirdly, the results indicated that my prescription had decreased, so I’d need weaker glasses. I was as confused as my doctor, but after a bit of looking into this, it was determined that testosterone was behind the changes.
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As strange as it might seem, hormone levels really can have an impact on an individual’s eyesight. In cis men, this is largely because age can slow down the rate at which our body produces androgens, a group of male sex hormones including testosterone. One knock-on effect of this reduction is blurry eyesight.For the past two months I’ve been using testosterone gel. Usually applied to the lower abdomen and absorbed through the skin, these gels top up my T levels and are prescribed by doctors.Prior to using it, I read up on possible side effects that come with the use of gels like AndroGel: increased muscle mass, shortened temper, or a deeper voice. I’ve also discovered some other personal effects to add to that list: the structure of my hair has changed, I *swear* my feet have grown by a few millimetres, and, happily, my eyesight has improved.People use testosterone gel and clinically administered testosterone injections for a variety of reasons. Everyone reacts very differently to the treatment, and since there is very little in the way of public discussion about the topic, those side effects can be surprising. We asked gel users – cis, trans and intersex – about their experiences with the drug and all of the remarkable things that come with it.
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‘It doesn’t take much for me to start crying: put “Bambi” on and the tears will be streaming down my face’
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I also notice a difference in my sexuality. During the last two weeks without testosterone, when the fatigue starts to kick in, I’m really looking forward to applying the gel again. - Hans Verhoeven, 58, is a self-declared rainbow activist and owns the online store Gays & Gadgets
‘The first six months of using the gel really felt like being 12 all over again. I even started listening to the music I liked back then!’
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Physically, I feel like I won the genetic lottery. Any man wanting to look more masculine would kill to have my beard. I was quite hairy anyway, but it took time to get used to it. Eating can be a challenge now. I can’t eat yoghurt anymore and soup is impossible to get out of my beard. I had to change how I performed oral sex, too. - Bappie Kortram, 30, is a YouTuber and podcaster