“It is estimated that low testosterone affects around 4 to 5 million men in the United States,” says Healthline
Table of Contents
- What Does Low Testosterone Means?
- What Are the Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men?
- What Causes Low Testosterone in Men?
What Does Low Testosterone Means?
Testosterone is a male sex hormone that is produced by the testicles and plays a key role during puberty. Testosterone hormone helps in stimulating the development of male characteristics like the growth of facial hair, muscle mass, strength, and deepening of the voice.
Testosterone plays an important role in male sexual development, it is thought to regulate sex drive(libido), bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, and the production of sperms.
It is estimated by medical researchers that testosterone levels peak during the period of adolescence and early adulthood and gradually start declining after the age of 30 or 40 years.
However, there are a number of reasons that can lead to low testosterone in men. Getting an early diagnosis of the medical complication can help uncover the low testosterone causes that are to be treated.
If left untreated, low testosterone levels in the body can lead to severe complications like reduced bone density, and the risk of osteoporosis and heart diseases increases.
What are the Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men?
The symptoms of low testosterone in men can differ from person to person depending upon factors like age and causes. Some of the common symptoms of low testosterone in men are as follows:-
- Low sex drive(lowered libido)
- Problem with concentration and memory
- Loss of bone density and mass
- Reduced muscle strength
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Reduced testicular size
- Reduced hair growth on the face and body
- Enlargement of the breast tissue (gynecomastia)
- Infertility complications
- Low semen volume
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Experiencing mood swings
- Gaining extra weight
- Erectile dysfunction
Well known PDE5 inhibitors: Sildenafil(Cenforce), Tadalfil(Vidalista), Vardenafil(Valif).
Such symptoms can cause severe discomfort in living a healthy life. Consulting a medical professional can help avert the risk of various health complications. Doctors may recommend taking testosterone replacement therapy if the need arises.
One can increase the testosterone level naturally by taking the right nutrition in a diet and exercising on a regular basis.
What Causes Low Testosterone in Men?
Medical researchers estimate that low testosterone affects almost 40% of men who are above the age of 45 years. A number of physiological, biological, and environmental factors lead a man to attain low testosterone levels in the body. Some of the major low testosterone causes that one should look out for are as follows.
Old age:
As one grows older in age, the level of testosterone in the body gradually starts declining. This leads to a variety of changes like reduced sex drive, loss of bone density and muscle strength, etc.
The gradual decline begins between the age group of 30-40 years. However, there are many options to treat low testosterone levels in the body. Consulting a medical professional can help chart out an effective treatment plan.
Genetic linkage:
Low testosterone in men can occur due to genetically linked disorders like Kallman and Klinefelter syndrome which causes certain abnormalities in the body that can affect the hypothalamus and testicular growth in an individual and result in lower production of the testosterone hormone in the body.
Traumatic injury:
There are many potential causes of low testosterone in men. People who suffer traumatic physical injury to the testicles can experience low testosterone levels in the body.
The injury (trauma) must lead to the interrupted blood supply to the testes and affect both the testicles in the body for the testosterone levels to drop. Men who suffer such an injury to the testicles can develop the medical complication of primary hypogonadism as well.
Infectious diseases:
An infection like mumps orchitis can also lead to low testosterone in men. Catching such a disease early in life can cause severe damage to the testicles and affect the normal production of testosterone in the body.
Other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV are also known to cause certain impairments in the production of testosterone. It is vital to consult a medical professional for an effective treatment plan for such infectious diseases.
Medicinal side effects:
Side effects of certain medicines can also lead to low testosterone in men. Medications like opioids that are used to treat prostate cancer and statins used for lowering cholesterol can cause the side effect of lowering testosterone.
Taking anabolic steroids, corticoid steroids, and taking too many NSAIDs can also lead to low testosterone in men. Such medicines should be taken only after consulting a medical professional.
Knowing about all the possible side effects of medicines before taking them can help reduce the risk of medical complications.
Medical treatment:
Low testosterone in men occurs when the level falls below 300 nanograms/deciliter (ng/dL). Medical researchers have estimated that taking chemotherapy or radiation therapy for certain types of cancers can also lower testosterone in men.
Doctors may recommend taking in testosterone replacement therapy if the testosterone levels become abnormally low.
However, one should be cautious enough to know about all the possible side effects of such a medical treatment before undergoing it.
Also Read: Low Libido Causes: Know What Is Reducing Your Sex Drive?
BOTTOM LINE:
Though low testosterone levels in the body usually do not cause life-threatening medical complications, the symptoms can significantly reduce the quality of life for an individual.
Consulting a medical expert can help in knowing the exact low testosterone causes that need immediate medical attention. Low testosterone in men can be treated through medication(Cernos Gel, Cernos Soft Gelatin), testosterone replacement therapy, or other surgical procedures.
A doctor can help in choosing the best treatment option that meets the need and requirements of the patients.
However, it should be noted that all the treatment options for low testosterone in men should be done under the guidance of a medical professional.
To avert the possibility of adverse health complications it is prudent to know about the possibility of any side effects of the treatment that has been undertaken.
