abiraterone vs testosterone
Side-by-side comparison of abiraterone and testosterone Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zytiga
AndroGel, Testim
Abiraterone (Zytiga) is a medicine used with prednisone to treat prostate cancer that has spread. It works by lowering the amount of androgen your body makes.
Testosterone pellets (Testopel) are a hormone replacement therapy. They help men who don't produce enough testosterone on their own.
Abiraterone is used to treat prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. It is for cancers that are castration-resistant, meaning they no longer respond to hormone therapy alone. It is also used for high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. You will take this medicine with prednisone.
Testosterone pellets treat low testosterone in men. This can be caused by problems with the testicles or the pituitary gland. It can also be used in young men with delayed puberty to help them develop.
Abiraterone blocks an enzyme called CYP17, which your body needs to make androgens. Androgens can help prostate cancer grow. By blocking this enzyme, abiraterone lowers androgen levels and slows cancer growth.
Testosterone is a male sex hormone. These pellets are implanted under the skin and slowly release testosterone into your body. This helps to restore normal testosterone levels.
- • Feeling tired
- • Joint pain
- • High blood pressure
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Swelling
- • Acne
- • Male-pattern baldness
- • Increased or decreased sex drive
- • Headache
- • Anxiety
- Death 1,390
- Feeling tired 1,022
- Hot flash 678
- Weakness 562
- Worsening of disease 561
- Heart attack 3,269
- Medication not working 2,963
- Pain 2,379
- Blood clot in a deep vein 2,176
- Testosterone level decreased 2,093
Abiraterone can cause problems with mineralocorticoid excess, like high blood pressure, low potassium, and fluid retention. If you have heart problems, your doctor will monitor you closely. This medicine can also cause liver problems, which can be severe. Your doctor will check your liver function regularly. Do not take abiraterone with radium Ra 223 dichloride. Abiraterone can harm an unborn baby, so men should use effective birth control if their partner can get pregnant.
Testosterone pellets can cause blood clots in your veins. This includes clots in your legs (deep vein thrombosis) and lungs (pulmonary embolism). Tell your doctor right away if you have pain, swelling, warmth, or redness in your leg, or if you have trouble breathing or chest pain.
Abiraterone can cause harm to an unborn baby. Men who are taking abiraterone should use effective birth control during treatment and for 3 weeks after the last dose if their partner is able to get pregnant. It is not known if abiraterone passes into breast milk.
Testosterone can harm an unborn baby. You should not use this medicine if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions.
How to Read This abiraterone vs testosterone Comparison
abiraterone is classified in the CYP17 Inhibitor drug class, while testosterone sits within the Androgen Hormone class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, abiraterone has 4,213 submissions while testosterone has 12,880. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between abiraterone and testosterone — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.