Simplifying Critical Criteria For low testosterone

There is a good reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone levels see here now are at their peak. recommended you read From that point, this website however, testosterone levels gradually decrease.

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

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

While reduced testosterone is more common in older men, it can occur in younger guys as well. Luckily, all of the causes of low testosterone in young men are curable, so if you experience such symptoms at any given age, there is no reason to dismiss it.


For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels may be brought on by some ailments, such as type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or liver disease, COPD or other lung disease, or adrenal gland problems, 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 which could 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," states 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 at the Smith Institute for Urology of their North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional causes of low testosterone in males younger than 50 contain adrenal gland tumors, HIV disease, and radiation therapy or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as secondary or primary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi says.

Is It Low Testosterone?

Regardless of the cause, 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.' ”

If you suspect low testosterone, the first step is to see your primary care physician.



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

Such testosterone supplements come in the form of a gel, injections, patches, long-acting pellets, or oral inserts.

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

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You do not wish to give supplemental testosterone to guys who want to be 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. "Therefore, men of reproductive age should consider alternatives which may improve their testosterone as well as maintain their sperm production," he states. One such alternative is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other remedies for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and raising exercise.

The main point, though, is that in the event that you've got low testosterone symptoms, then it's very important to see your doctor. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more serious causes of your symptoms, including high blood pressure or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that can improve your energy and high quality of life.

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