Insights Into Simple Plans For low testosterone

There is a fantastic reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone levels are at best sitegreat site their peak. From there, however, testosterone levels best site slowly decrease.

"After age 30, most men begin to experience a gradual decline in testosterone," says David Samadi, MD, chairman of the urology department at Lenox Hill Hospital in nyc.

Although testosterone levels never reach zero (as estrogen levels do in women during menopause), low testosterone levels men to experience symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and loss of muscle mass.

While low testosterone is more prevalent in older men, it may occur in younger men also. Luckily, all the causes of low testosterone in young men are curable, so if you experience these symptoms at any age, there's no reason to dismiss it.


For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels can be brought on by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, COPD or other lung disease, or pituitary gland issues, based on Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in men include the diseases Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disease which can cause low testosterone is hemochromatosis, making the body shop too much iron.

"Low testosterone can also result when something happens, like trauma or steroid use, that prevents the testes from making the hormone," states Bruce Gilbert, MD, PhD, an adjunct clinical professor of urology and reproductive medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of reproductive and sexual medicine at the Smith Institute for Urology of their North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional causes of low testosterone in males younger than 50 include pituitary gland tumors, HIV infection, and radiation therapy or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as secondary or primary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi says. In secondary hypogonadism, the testicles are normal but function improperly because of a problem with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland."

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

Regardless of the cause, low testosterone symptoms are the same.

"Symptoms include low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, decreased mental acuity, and moodiness," Dr. Gilbert says.

"Younger men with low testosterone usually come to me and say, 'I can't work out like I used to, and I've lost interest in sex.' ”

If you suspect low testosterone, the first step is to see your primary care physician.

If your blood test reveals low testosterone (usually defined as a level lower than 300 ng/dL), the doctor may treat you or refer you to a specialist, such as a urologist or endocrinologist.


"When it comes to treating low testosterone in older men, we usually reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as tiredness and reduced libido," Gilbert says.

In men who don't make the hormone in their testes because of a condition such as Klinefelter syndrome, or those who have lost their testes because of cancer, the only option is testosterone replacement therapy.

In these circumstances,"therapies are usually used only in the short term, and when a doctor has close monitoring and knowledge of the individual," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You do not want to offer supplemental testosterone to men who are interested in being fertile since it can turn off sperm production," Gilbert says.

Once a young man goes off testosterone supplementation, there's a chance his sperm count will never return to what it was before he started. "Hence, men of reproductive age should consider alternatives which may increase their testosterone in addition to preserve their semen production," he says. One such alternative is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other treatments for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and increasing exercise.

The bottom line, though, is that in the event that you've got low testosterone symptoms, it is important to see your doctor. Then, your doctor can rule out more serious causes of your symptoms, such as hypertension or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that could improve your energy and high quality of life.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *