Low Testosterone: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Low Testosterone: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Dr. Joshua Calvert, M.D., is a urologist and member of The Edge’s medical advisory board. Specific areas of interest include vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, Peyronie’s disease, testosterone management, and male infertility. Low testosterone is when testosterone levels fall below 300 ng/dL.

In some cases, people with a deficiency of the hormone develop gynecomastia, which causes an enlargement of the breasts. The American Urological Association defines low testosterone as less than 300 nanograms (ng) of the hormone per deciliter (dl) of blood. They also report that about 2 in every 100 men have low testosterone. Alison Ozgur, RDN, is a wellness expert with advanced training in whole-food, plant-based nutrition. She is also an adjunct instructor of nutrition at Jersey College in Teterboro, New Jersey, and a board-certified lifestyle medicine professional through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Testosterone deficiency alone is generally not the cause of primary erectile dysfunction. However, low T levels and what it does to your sex drive can affect your ability to have or sustain an erection. Low testosterone may affect different body systems, resulting in symptoms that affect memory, mood, bone, muscle, sex drive, and the ability to get or maintain an erection. The body requires testosterone to develop the penis and testicles. Research suggests that as you age and your testosterone levels gradually drop, you may also experience a decrease in the size of your testicles. Both testosterone levels and cognitive functions, particularly memory, decline with age.

Around the age of 30, men’s T levels start to dwindle by about 1 percent a year. But for some men, that drop is more of a cliff dive than a steady downhill. Declining levels of testosterone can bring on a host of symptoms that can i raise my testosterone levels naturally make you feel downright lousy. Symptoms of low testosterone in men can range from weight gain and erectile dysfunction to mood shifts and cognitive problems. 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.

Females may also experience specific low testosterone symptoms, such as the following. 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.

The American Urology Association (AUA) defines hypogonadism as total testosterone level of less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). The diagnosis is only made after two testosterone lab checks are done and the patient has symptoms. Fat cells produce an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen— and an imbalance in your testosterone and estrogen levels can increase body fat. High aromatase and estrogen activity reduces the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which in turn reduces testosterone production. If you’re noticing it’s hard to get and keep an erection, it’s worth getting your testosterone levels checked.

While low testosterone is more common in older males, it can occur in younger males as well. As the Centre for Men’s Health’s founder, the late Professor Malcolm Carruthers, explained in his book Testosterone Resistance, low testosterone levels and activity can be caused in many different ways. Infections like mumps, stress, heavy drinking, obesity, trauma to the testes and certain prescription drugs can all have a negative impact.

Low testosterone levels increase a man’s risk of developing disease of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), and increase the risk of early death. According to the American Urological Society, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may result in improvements in low sex drive, anemia, bone mineral density, lean body mass, and/or depressive symptoms. The evidence is inconclusive whether TRT improves cognitive function, measures of diabetes, energy, fatigue, lipid profiles, and quality of life measures.

Some research suggests that hot flashes may be a symptom of very low testosterone levels. However, a 2017 study on testosterone supplementation did not find memory improvements in 493 men with low testosterone levels who took testosterone or a placebo. Males with low testosterone may experience extreme fatigue and decreased energy.

While hair loss can happen for many reasons, low T is sometimes a factor. A drop in testosterone can lead to thinning hair on your body, face, and scalp. If you notice sudden changes in hair thickness along with other symptoms, it might be time to explore the root cause. If you’ve experienced a decreased interest in intimacy or find it harder to become aroused, low T could be the culprit. While libido naturally changes over time, a sudden or sustained drop in interest can indicate a hormonal imbalance. That’s because they don’t manufacture sufficient levels of testosterone for optimal growth and health. Between 19 and 39 percent of older men may have low levels of testosterone.