low testosterone Systems - Insights

There is a fantastic reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their Home Page testosterone levels are at their peak. From there, however, testosterone levels Home Page gradually decrease. use this link

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

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

While reduced testosterone is more common in older men, it may occur in younger men as well. Fortunately, all the causes of low testosterone in young men are treatable, so if you encounter these symptoms at any given age, there is no reason to ignore it.


For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels may be brought on by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, diabetes, chronic liver or liver 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 that can result in low testosterone is hemochromatosis, which makes the body store too much iron.

"Low testosterone can also result when something happens, like trauma or steroid use, that prevents the testes from making the hormone," says 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 in the Smith Institute for Urology of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

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

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as primary or secondary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi states. "This could be from a developmental issue, injury to the testicles, or radiation or chemotherapy treatment.

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

Irrespective of the reason, 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.’ ”

Your doctor can diagnose low testosterone with a blood test.

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.


Not everyone with low testosterone needs treatment. "When it comes to treating low testosterone in older men, we generally reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as fatigue and low libido," Gilbert says.


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

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You don't want to offer supplemental testosterone to guys 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 think about alternatives which may increase their testosterone as well as preserve their sperm production," he says. One such choice is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

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

The bottom line, however, is that in the event that you have low testosterone symptoms, it's very important to see your physician. Then, your doctor can rule out more significant causes of your symptoms, including hypertension or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that can enhance your power and quality of life.

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