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Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

If you’re already suffering from some of the symptoms detailed above, such as erectile dysfunction and weight gain, your mood will only deteriorate further. Low testosterone can lead to depression or, if you already suffer from depression, it can make it worse. Low testosterone, or low-T, is when the testicles don’t produce enough of the hormone testosterone. Testosterone is important for bone health, muscle health, and sexual function. As a result, common symptoms of low testosterone include bone loss, muscle mass loss, and low sex drive.

Many men with diagnosed testosterone deficiency notice a dramatic improvement in their mood after starting testosterone replacement treatment, says Calvert. “In simple terms, if you have more circulating testosterone, your muscle cells are more active and they grow,” says Calvert. 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. It’s important to note hot flashes occurred during prostate cancer treatment. With low T, you may have difficulty achieving an erection before sex or having spontaneous erections, such as during sleep.

Testosterone stimulates the penile tissues to produce nitric oxide, which starts several reactions that result in an erection. If levels of the hormone are too low, a man may not be able to get an erection. Testosterone production can slow as a person ages, and many older people experience symptoms of low testosterone. If the levels drop significantly, there are six signs to indicate that you may be suffering from low testosterone, which we’ll detail below. Many men with low T report mood swings, irritability, and even symptoms of depression. Hormones play a key role in mood regulation, and low T can lead to emotional changes that feel out of character.

There are osteoblasts, which build the bone, inflamed testicle and osteoclasts that break it down. Testosterone stimulates osteoblasts to deposit bone, so if your T levels are low, you may make less bone. The relationship isn’t completely understood, but researchers suspect that testosterone acts as a vasodilator, allowing more blood flow into the penis, says Calvert.

Well, to start, “testosterone is essential for sperm production,” he says. As T levels decline, so do sperm counts and semen quality, which can lead to issues in fertility, he says. For those who want to grow their family, this can lead to high levels of emotional stress on the individual and family levels. “On a societal scale, this could exacerbate population challenges, particularly in countries already experiencing aging populations and workforce shortages,” he says. “Lifestyle changes across generations, such as reduced physical activity and unhealthy diets, further exacerbate the problem,” says Bailey.

If you recognize any of the six signs we’ve detailed, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to confirm that you’re suffering from the condition. At Elan Healthcare, we offer natural solutions to help you tackle having low levels of testosterone. These give you an essential boost to ease the symptoms and enhance your physical and mental well-being. If you suffer from any of the above symptoms, you need to consider the possibility that you have low testosterone. Medically, this is deemed to be when your testosterone levels are less than 300 ng/dL.

While you may feel embarrassed about sexual function issues, seeing a healthcare provider can help you find the right treatment. Recognizing the signs of low testosterone is the first step towards addressing this common but often overlooked health issue. Each of the symptoms discussed in this article can significantly impact quality of life, affecting physical, mental, and emotional well-being. By understanding the role of testosterone in the body and its influence on various functions, individuals can take proactive steps to identify potential imbalances and seek appropriate medical advice.

People assigned male at birth and people assigned female at birth produce testosterone, but this article focuses on symptoms of low testosterone in people assigned male at birth. According to the American Urological Association (AUA), 4 in 10 males ages 45 years and older have low testosterone. Prostate cancer that becomes unresponsive to hormone therapy portends a poor prognosis (disease outcome). Bone metastases are a significant cause of pain, disability, death, and poor quality of life, as they increase a person’s risk for bone breaks (fractures) and spinal cord compression.

Without enough testosterone, blood may not be able to enter the penis and allow it to get rigid enough for sex. Instead, familiarize yourself with the biggest symptoms of low testosterone in men, so that if you’re experiencing them, you can get help. Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for low testosterone. For stone detection, combined ultrasonography and KUB radiography was used. Laura J. Martin, MD, MPH, is a board-certified internal medicine and palliative care physician practicing at City of Hope in Atlanta. Dr. Pat Bass is a board certified general internist and pediatrician at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, and the chief medical information officer at LSU Health-Shreveport. He spent the last 12 years heavily involved in resident education and leadership for his department, including the last eight years as urology residency program director.