Low Testosterone Testosterone Deficiency: Symptoms and Treatment

Low Testosterone: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Joshua Calvert, M.D., is a urologist who specializes in vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, Peyronie’s disease, testosterone management, and male infertility. If maintaining fertility is a concern (TRT can lower sperm count), medications including clomiphene citrate, or Clomid, can testosterone go bad be used to treat symptoms of low T while protecting against infertility. What’s more, estrogen (which remember is a byproduct of T in men), stops osteoclast activity. If your T is low, your estrogen levels will also be low, and you’ll have decreased bone density.

You might feel like you just don’t have the energy that you’re used to. Without enough circulating testosterone, those brain benefits may not happen. While medications, relationship struggles, and illness can all make you lose interest in sex, a low sex drive is one of the most common symptoms of low testosterone. If you have low testosterone and the symptoms bother you, a doctor may recommend testosterone replacement therapy. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), 4 in 10 males ages 45 years and older have low testosterone.

Therefore, these retrospective results might lack some degree of generalizability beyond former service members and patients with prostate cancer. Throughout the life of a male, testosterone plays a crucial role in sexual and physical development and function. During puberty, it contributes to growth spurts along with secondary sexual characteristics such as facial hair, increased muscle mass, and the deepening of the voice.

It is important to remember that males typically lose testosterone as they age, and the potential benefits of lifestyle changes also decrease over time. Weight loss and exercise can often increase testosterone levels naturally. In males, hypogonadism, a condition where the testicles produce little or no testosterone, may occur at any age.

A telltale sign of low testosterone is persistent fatigue, despite adequate sleep and good nutrition. When testosterone levels drop, energy levels often follow, leading to reduced motivation and a general feeling of sluggishness. If you find yourself too tired for activities you once enjoyed, it may be due to low T. It’s common for testosterone levels to decrease with age, but some men experience a significant drop, leading to noticeable changes in both body and mind. It helps trigger the chemical reactions needed to achieve and sustain an erection. While low T doesn’t always cause erectile dysfunction, it can make it harder to get or maintain an erection. Additionally, some men may notice a decline in the quality of their orgasms.

Addressing these symptoms through medical intervention and lifestyle adjustments is essential for restoring sexual health and overall well-being. To help narrow the list of causes of hypogonadism, your healthcare provider will order blood tests to measure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). These are hormones produced by the pituitary gland that stimulate the production of sperm cells and testosterone. The majority of studies showed that testosterone increased muscle mass but did not have an effect on muscle strength or function. That review said that the evidence from randomised control trials was said not to support treatment for physical function, sexual function, mood or cognition. Testosterone is essential for developing and maintaining male characteristics.

This effect is believed to occur due to an imbalance between testosterone and estrogen. Hone-affiliated medical practices are independently owned and operated by licensed physicians who provide services using the Hone telehealth platform. For more information about the relationship between Hone and the medical practices, click here. “Fortunately an increased boost in energy is one of the first things I hear from my guys I put on TRT,” says Calvert. “It’s ironic because low testosterone can lead to insomnia and insomnia can lead to low testosterone,” Staheli notes.

One of the signs of low testosterone is weakened bones that may make men, especially aging men, more susceptible to bone fractures. Hair loss can be frustrating, especially for men suffering from low T. Low testosterone can not only cause a man to lose hair on his head, but also on his arms, legs and other areas of his body including his facial hair. The difficulty to achieve or maintain an erection may not be entirely due to low T, though. Erection difficulties are linked to a variety of health concerns, such as diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and thyroid issues. How to treat low testosterone is a question best reserved for you doctor, who may order a blood test to check on your T-levels.