What Are The Symptoms of Low Testosterone?
A drop in testosterone levels is guaranteed to cause unhappiness and discomfort to any man. A significant decrease in T levels is a growing issue worldwide, with increasing numbers of men suffering from this condition. In this post, we will discuss the most common symptoms of low testosterone, what can be done to mitigate these effects, and how to combat any undesirable outcomes.
What Is Testosterone?
Testosterone is an important sex hormone. It is found both in females and males. However, it is found in significantly higher quantities in the latter. This hormone contributes to an array of functions inside the man’s body that are vital for your well being.
Why Does a Man Need Testosterone?
Testosterone is a sex hormone that plays a very important role in men. It ensures a continuous sex drive and influences the development of bone mass, muscle mass, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. The distribution of fat in a man’s body is also thought to be significantly affected by the male hormone. The distribution of facial and body hair is also influenced by testosterone.
Testosterone normally peaks during adolescence, and the levels drop as we get older. Once you reach a certain age, every man should test their testosterone levels. Apart from aging, low testosterone can be the cause of hypogonadism. There are also other conditions and symptoms that can be caused by low T.
Ultimately, adequate testosterone levels are essential to a man’s well-being. Its functions are tethered to the development of boys and young men because testosterone has a direct impact on the manifestation of standard masculine physical features. Consequently, it’s important to keep a constant level of testosterone in your body throughout your life in order to make sure that your body runs and develops as smoothly as possible. Otherwise, low testosterone symptoms may appear fairly quickly and turn out to be challenging to manage over time.
What Are the Symptoms of Low Testosterone?
So far, we have touched on the importance of a balanced testosterone level. But what happens when a man`s testosterone is low? Depending on the gravity of the situation, the consequences can waver from mild to serious. However, one thing is certain: a low T-level count will affect both the mind and the body. The next issue that needs to be addressed is how these signs of low testosterone manifest and how to handle them.
Physical Symptoms of Low Testosterone
As a disclaimer, the following symptoms of low testosterone may be true in general, but remember that you, as a patient, are a unique case that requires proper testing. It is only through testing that you can determine whether the symptoms you are experiencing are caused by a decrease in testosterone levels or something else.
Below, you will find two ways a drop in testosterone can affect the physical condition of men.
Battling Erectile Dysfunction
There’s a strong link between testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction (ED). According to medical publications, hypogonadism, a disorder that affects the normal production of testosterone, is a common cause of ED. It was also noted that treating hormone imbalance may not have an actual effect on treating ED. The manifestation of the latter demonstrates that the former, low testosterone levels, is a problem that the body is constantly fighting. However, treating EDs will necessitate a more in-depth investigation than a simple hormone test. You will need to schedule an appointment at a hormone therapy clinic or an at-home telemed consult.
Suffering the Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass and Strength
A drop in testosterone levels is a leading cause of sarcopenia, which is defined as the weakening of skeletal muscle mass and loss in strength that usually occurs later in life when the sex hormone levels are expected to drop. If these symptoms of low testosterone appear too early, it is recommended for you to get a testosterone level test and make an appointment to discuss the result with your doctor. However, the lowering of testosterone levels due to sarcopenia should not be left unchecked and untreated. It has been discovered that testosterone treatments can also have a positive effect on the revival of muscle mass.
Mental Symptoms of Low Testosterone
Because testosterone is produced in the testes, it communicates directly with the body’s internal chemistry. As a result, a testosterone imbalance can cause a disruption in the normal course of one’s mind and feelings. Low T may be responsible for sensations that feel foreign and intrusive, which can lead to sudden changes in mood to be pleasant or predictable.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most common symptoms that could indicate the impact of low T levels on your mental health.
Fighting Depressed Moods
A direct correlation has been found between depressed moods and low testosterone levels in men. In the same studies, it was noted that men who were found in more advanced stages of depression also had low testosterone levels in their bodies. Thanks to further studies, it was discovered that an increase in testosterone could directly impact and eliminate depressive moods. These results were not unexpected, as testosterone is a hormone that impacts the brain.
A Decreased Sense of Well-Being
Testosterone is a hormone that influences mood and well-being. After all, it is produced in response to social, physiological, and sexual stimuli. If the hormone is out of balance, the consequences will be felt directly in your mental health and overall sense of self-worth. Unfortunately, not every aspect of our lives can be monitored, and our minds and how they function can sometimes be influenced by factors that are beyond our control. If your decreased sense of well-being has been tied to low T, the best course of action is to seek hormone therapy treatment and try to restore your normal hormone levels.
Increasing Difficulties in Concentration and Memory
According to studies, a man’s cognitive abilities will be negatively impacted by a hormone deficiency. The impact that an imbalanced hormone level can have on memory degradation is obvious, especially in older men. However, testosterone hormone therapy will not help with memory or cognition. It cannot reverse a process that has already been affected. That is why it is advised to try to prevent such severe hormone deficits as soon as possible rather than waiting until the last minute to act on them.
Low Sex Drive
Last but not least, a decline in libido is among the most glaring and likely to be noticed symptoms of a testosterone imbalance. After all, testosterone is a sex hormone, and a decrease in sex drive can be directly correlated with a reduction in T levels. In such cases, testosterone therapy has improved the sex drive after a certain period. Not only that, but it was effective in improving erectile dysfunction. However, these studies revealed significant improvements for men with low testosterone levels. A testosterone increase above normal levels will not result in an increase in libido or as a preventative measure against future erectile dysfunction. So, be careful not to go overboard; excess will not benefit you.
How Can I Test My Testosterone Levels at Home?
If you believe that some of the symptoms of low testosterone mentioned above may apply to you, your next step should be to have your hormone levels checked. The testing procedure is very simple and takes little time to complete. You can get your T levels checked at a doctor’s office, in a hormone clinic, or through simple at-home test kits.
You can have your blood drawn at home by yourself or have a medical professional come over to do it, and then send the blood sample through mail or drop it at a laboratory (according to the specific instructions of your package). You can expect your results in a couple of hours or days.
Why Is My Testosterone Low?
Nearly all men who experience the signs of low testosterone and test themselves to confirm that, in fact, their T levels are low begin to wonder, “Why is my testosterone low?” A medical professional can help you determine this and create a treatment plan to restore your levels.
Remember, dropping testosterone levels in men is a general trend that has been going on for several years. A worldwide drop in testosterone levels was noticed in both boys and men. In light of the fact that thousands of men worldwide are experiencing this phenomenon, try not to be too hard on yourself. What you need to take away from this is that there is a solution to your problem and that you are not fighting this battle alone.
The Bottom Line
Physical and mental changes in a man’s body are signs of low testosterone. They can range from being simple to handle to becoming a constant obstacle in one’s daily life, depending on how quickly and seriously they affect the body. Loss of muscle mass and the emergence of erectile dysfunction are directly related to low testosterone in the body.
The hormone imbalance will play a role in the destabilization of a balanced state of mind when it comes to the brain. As a result, the affected person can fall into anxious and depressed moods, as well as feel more uncomfortable, lose their memory, and have significantly less sexual drive.
If you are feeling any of these symptoms of low testosterone, test your testosterone levels right away and take the appropriate action as recommended by a medical professional. You can only decide what course of action to take after testing and learning more.