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Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

Testosterone Therapy: What Men Need to Know About Low T and TRT Treatment Los Angeles Times

Seeking medical evaluation and discussing symptoms openly with healthcare professionals are essential actions for obtaining a proper diagnosis and effective treatment. Empowerment comes from understanding these issues and taking decisive steps to enhance one’s health and well-being through informed medical care and lifestyle choices. TRT is avoided in males with untreated prostate or breast cancer as testosterone may stimulate the growth of the tumor. TRR is also avoided in people with a recent heart attack or stroke as well as those with advanced heart failure due to the risk of clotting.

While you can blame forgetfulness or not feeling as sharp as you once were on getting older, these could also be signs that your testosterone is low. Some of the symptoms of low testosterone in a man are subtle, while others are more obvious. And many of the symptoms of low testosterone mirror symptoms of other illnesses and conditions, making it even harder to ID the cause. In one study, 30% of men who were overweight had low testosterone, compared to only 6% of those with weight in the normal range. In another study, 25% of men with Type 2 diabetes had low testosterone, compared to 13% of those without diabetes.

Testosterone is important to male sexual development and overall health. During puberty, it is responsible for developing secondary sexual characteristics, such as increased muscle mass, voice deepening, and facial and body hair growth. Beyond these initial changes, testosterone helps maintain libido, erectile function, and sperm production throughout a man’s life.

If you have impaired fertility due to secondary hypogonadism, TRT would not be used given that that underlying problem is not the testicles but rather the hypothalamus or pituitary gland. These may include a semen analysis and testicular ultrasound to investigate causes of primary hypogonadism, or iron saturation tests and pituitary function tests to investigate causes of secondary hypogonadism. The diagnosis of male hypogonadism typically starts with a physical exam and a review of your medical and family histories. This may include a gloved examination of your scrotum, testicles, penis, and breasts. In males, hypogonadism occurs either because the testicles are not functioning normally or because the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland are not functioning normally. In addition to conventional TRT, explains Dr Foster, there are also other medications in use that are not strictly external testosterone, “but that can be used to increased to testosterone levels”.

See the separate leaflet called Pituitary Gland Disorders for further information. Male hypogonadism is a condition in which the body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone that plays a key role in masculine growth and development during puberty (testosterone) or enough sperm or both. Research into how long testosterone cream to work (https://www.verletzten-kinderseelen-helfen.de/articles/abnehmen_tabletten_1.html) low T levels affect memory hasn’t come up with a definitive cause-and-effect relationship. But it’s clear that as men age and their T levels drop, their cognitive abilities decline, too. And anecdotally, many men express that they feel a mental fog lifting off of them when they start on TRT, says Calvert.

There was little evidence of testosterone treatment alone being of significant benefit. Low testosterone can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy. Any underlying cause for the testosterone deficiency will also need treatment. The effects of low testosterone in men can be devastating for their quality of life. If you think you might be suffering, and want to know how to check for low T, try taking the free low T symptoms questionnaire. This has been validated by international researchers and will allow you to assess the level of your low testosterone symptoms. 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.

“Testosterone stimulates the growth of muscles and increases muscle strength,” says Calvert. When testosterone binds to the receptors, it helps your muscles grow. Plus, plenty of men walk around feeling crappy for years, not even thinking their hormones could be to blame.

The risk increases with age, though most people naturally lose testosterone as they get older. A doctor will typically only prescribe TRT if the person has several symptoms of low testosterone and blood test results that indicate a deficiency. To diagnose low testosterone, a doctor will often perform a physical evaluation and review the person’s symptoms. 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.

Men who don’t respond to the medicines that are used to treat erectile dysfunction (such as sildenafil), should also have their testosterone level checked. One large study in Europe found that testosterone deficiency affected about 2 in 100 men aged 40 to 79 years. Testosterone deficiency affected about 5 in 100 men aged 70 to 79 years. See your health care provider if you have symptoms of male hypogonadism. Finding the cause of hypogonadism is an important first step to getting appropriate treatment.