Short answer: The Testim label starts at 50 mg of testosterone, one tube, applied once daily, preferably in the morning, to clean, dry skin of the shoulders and upper arms. A morning pre-dose testosterone test is done about 14 days after starting. If it is below the normal range of 300 to 1,000 ng/dL, the dose can go up to 100 mg (two tubes) once daily, which is the maximum.
This is what the FDA label says. Follow your prescriber. Your prescriber may use a different dose or pace than the label's standard schedule.
What Testim is approved for: Testim is approved as testosterone replacement in adult males with low or absent natural testosterone due to primary hypogonadism (testicular failure) or hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (a pituitary or hypothalamus cause). The label says safety and efficacy have not been established in men with "age-related" (late-onset) hypogonadism or in males under 18 (section 1).
Source
TESTIM (testosterone gel) for topical use, CIII, prescribing information, Medication Guide and Instructions for Use. Endo USA. DailyMed, version published March 5, 2026. DailyMed setid 9f2aae1f-898d-4955-be31-678e0cf85395
Each Testim tube holds 50 mg of testosterone in 5 g of gel. The whole tube is squeezed into the palm and applied right away to the shoulders and/or upper arms, within the area a short-sleeve T-shirt covers. It is not applied to the genitals or abdomen (sections 2.2 and 3).
The site dries for a few minutes before dressing, hands are washed with soap and water, and the site is kept covered with clothing. Swimming, showering or washing the site is avoided for at least 2 hours (section 2.2).
Before starting, low testosterone is confirmed by morning tests on at least two separate days, both below the normal range (section 2).
The table below is the label's schedule, from the Dosage and Administration section. Numbers are copied exactly; the section is in brackets.
| Step | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Starting dose | 50 mg of testosterone (one tube) once daily, preferably in the morning |
| First check | Morning, pre-dose serum testosterone about 14 days after starting |
| If below normal (300 ng/dL to 1,000 ng/dL) | Daily dose may be increased from 50 mg (one tube) to 100 mg (two tubes) once daily |
| Maximum dose | 100 mg once daily |
The application site and dose of Testim are not substitutable with other topical testosterone products.
At day 30, average daily testosterone was 365 (± 187) ng/dL on 50 mg and 612 (± 286) ng/dL on 100 mg. About 10% of the testosterone applied to the skin is absorbed over 24 hours.
Washing lowered testosterone levels, but when washing happened 2 or more hours after a 100 mg dose, levels stayed within the normal range.
Hematocrit is checked before starting, 3 to 6 months after starting, and then once a year. If it is high, therapy is stopped until it falls.
Blood pressure is checked periodically, especially in men with high blood pressure, and the lipid profile is checked periodically, particularly after starting and after dose increases.
Stored at 20 to 25 C (68 to 77 F). Used tubes go in household trash in a way that prevents exposure of women, children or pets. The package is not child resistant (section 17.4).
The Testim label gives no missed-dose instruction. Ask your prescriber what to do if a morning dose is missed.
Topical testosterone products may have different doses, strengths or application instructions that can give different exposure, and the Testim site and dose are not substitutable with other topical testosterone products (sections 1 and 2.1).
In Dose Track you set up Testim as a protocol with the dose and schedule your prescriber gave you. A protocol can hold dose steps, each with its own dose and length in days or weeks, so a step-up plan like the one on the label can be entered once and the app moves to the next step on its own. Reminders follow the schedule, and every dose is logged with the date and time, so you can see which step you are on and when your last dose was. The app follows what you enter; it does not choose or change a dose.
This page is what the FDA label says, in plain words. It is not medical advice. Follow your prescriber, and ask them or your pharmacist about anything here.