Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

Low Testosterone Symptoms: Mood, Weight, and Sex

Males with low testosterone may experience extreme fatigue and decreased energy. You may have low T if you’re consistently tired despite getting plenty of sleep or if you find it harder to get motivated to exercise. Research suggests that up to 35% of men with erectile dysfunction have low T. However, research is inconclusive on whether testosterone replacement therapy could successfully treat erectile dysfunction.

You may have low testosterone if you’re experiencing a reduction in your sex drive, difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, hair loss, and fatigue. A doctor can conduct tests, such as a serum testosterone test, to diagnose low testosterone. They may also recommend additional tests to rule out other conditions. The Testosterone is a vital hormone that plays a key role in muscle building, sex drive, bone density, and overall health. However, when levels drop too low, it can lead to a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms. Here are eight sneaky signs that your testosterone might be lower than it should be.

This potentially severe disorder causes a person to temporarily stop breathing, which can disrupt sleep. Males may experience specific symptoms of low testosterone levels. Many people experience hair loss as a natural part of aging, and age-related hair loss can also affect anyone. A diminishing sex drive occurs naturally with age, but when the cause is low testosterone, a male will notice a significant decrease in the desire for sex.

Men who don’t respond to the medicines that are used to treat erectile dysfunction (such as sildenafil), should also have their testosterone level checked. One large study in Europe found that testosterone deficiency affected about 2 in 100 men aged 40 to 79 years. Testosterone deficiency affected about 5 in 100 men aged 70 to 79 years. See your health care provider if you have symptoms of male hypogonadism. Finding the cause of hypogonadism is an important first step to getting appropriate treatment.

Your specialist will help you understand if you need treatment, even with normal testosterone levels. If a person notices these symptoms, they should speak with a doctor. A doctor can then come up with a treatment plan to does cialis increase testosterone their testosterone levels. Produced by the ovaries in females, testosterone improves libido and sexual function, enhances cognitive function and moods, and increases bone density, particularly during and after menopause. Although testosterone production will naturally decline with age, testosterone replacement therapy is not always the right solution. Many experts recommend making key lifestyle changes to correct problems that contribute to low testosterone as you get older. Less common, although still significant, are symptoms including dry skin, dry eyes, joint pain, night sweats and flushing (like women commonly experience during menopause) and loss of body hair.

If a male with low testosterone is trying to raise testosterone and maintain or improve fertility, then fertility-sparing regimens are recommended. Generally, these are with off-label use of drugs such as clomiphene citrate or human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). While higher scores provide stronger evidence of male hypogonadism, the ADAM test has its limitations and may not be as reliable in males under 50. The defect can be due to congenital causes (meaning conditions you are born with) and acquired causes (conditions you develop later in life). Male hypogonadism affects people born with testes and a penis, who are typically assigned male at birth.

“Testosterone stimulates the growth of muscles and increases muscle strength,” says Calvert. When testosterone binds to the receptors, it helps your muscles grow. Plus, plenty of men walk around feeling crappy for years, not even thinking their hormones could be to blame.

We also go beyond the research, interviewing top experts in their fields to bring you the most informed insights. Every article is rigorously reviewed by medical experts to ensure accuracy. Some other symptoms of anemia include problems concentrating, dizziness, chest pain, an abnormally rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and pale skin. “Bone metabolism is complex and related to two main cell types,” says Calvert. There are osteoblasts, which build the bone, and osteoclasts that break it down. Testosterone stimulates osteoblasts to deposit bone, so if your T levels are low, you may make less bone.