Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) - Whole blood and components

Essential information

Includes

Men taking hormone medication to treat testosterone deficiency.

Excludes

Women taking testosterone for menopausal symptoms. See Hormone replacement therapy.

Masculinising hormones taken to support gender transition. See Transgender and non-binary individuals.

Obligatory

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.

Discretionary

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 the donor meets haemoglobin estimation criteria,

accept.

Supporting information

See if relevant

• Addiction and drug abuse
• Adrenal failure
• Anti-androgens
• Blood safety
• Erectile dysfunction
• Haemochromatosis
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Malignancy
• Polycythaemia and raised haemoglobin
• Prion-associated diseases
• Steroid therapy
• Thyroid disease
• Transgender and non-binary individuals

Additional information

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 or raised haematocrit. Treatment for polycythaemia or 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.

Reason for change:

This is a new entry.

Version:

Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Version details:

WB-DSG Edition 203 Release 79 (17 February 2026)