Easy Plans In low testosterone - A Closer Look

There's a good reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their page testosterone levels are at click for info their peak. From there, however, testosterone levels try this out slowly decrease.

"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.

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

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


For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels can be brought on by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, COPD or other lung disorder, or pituitary gland problems, based on Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in men include the ailments Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disease that could cause low testosterone is hemochromatosis, making 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 reproductive medicine at the Smith Institute for Urology of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional causes of low testosterone in men younger than 50 contain adrenal gland tumors, HIV infection, and radiation therapy 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. In secondary hypogonadism, the testicles are normal but function improperly because of a problem with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland."

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

Irrespective of the cause, low testosterone symptoms would be the same.

"Symptoms include low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, decreased mental acuity, and moodiness," Dr. Gilbert states.

"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. Your doctor can diagnose low testosterone with a blood test.



"When it comes to treating low testosterone in younger guys, we generally reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as tiredness and low libido," Gilbert says.

In men who don't make the hormone in their testes because of a condition such as Klinefelter syndrome, or those who have lost their testes because of cancer, the only option is testosterone replacement therapy. Such testosterone supplements come in the form of a gel, injections, patches, long-acting pellets, or oral inserts.

In these circumstances,"therapies are usually used just in the brief term, and when a doctor has close observation and knowledge of the patient," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You don't want to give supplemental testosterone to men 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 consider alternatives that might increase their testosterone as well as preserve their sperm production," he says. One such alternative is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other treatments for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier and raising exercise.

The bottom line, though, is that if you've got low testosterone symptoms, it is 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 could improve your power and high quality of life.

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