The hormone also plays a role in your state of mind, including how well your brain works. That's why low testosterone has been linked with symptoms such as mood swings, increased stress, and depression.
Anecdotal and early correlational evidence suggests that higher levels of circulating testosterone in men are associated with increases in male-typical behaviours, such as physical aggression and anger.
Low T can cause emotional and physical symptoms, including depression and anxiety. While many men associate low testosterone with sexual symptoms like low libido or ED, many men don't realize the impact that this condition can have on their mental health.
Emotional changes
In addition to causing physical changes, having low levels of testosterone can affect you on an emotional level. The condition can lead to feelings of sadness or depression. Some people have trouble with memory and concentration and experience lowered motivation and self-confidence.
High testosterone was associated with a distinct interpersonal style that included: attachment-related avoidance, dominance, and disconnectedness. High testosterone was also associated with loneliness, and this relationship was mediated by attachment-related avoidance.
The hormone also plays a role in your state of mind, including how well your brain works. That's why low testosterone has been linked with symptoms such as mood swings, increased stress, and depression.
The effects of testosterone replacement therapy on mood can vary. Men with hypogonadism reported improved mood and well-being, and reduced fatigue and irritability. Research suggests that this treatment may also be an effective anti-depressant treatment.
“Men with low testosterone find that their emotional reserves are lower,” he says. “They have a shorter fuse. In popular culture, people link male anger with high testosterone, but as a rule we see it more in men with low testosterone -- most commonly when levels are dropping. That's when men get cranky.”
Reduced erectile function. Loss of body hair. Less beard growth. Loss of lean muscle mass.
Interestingly, many men also turn irritable when their testosterone levels fall below normal. The clinical term for low testosterone is male hypogonadism, and common side effects include mood changes and may include depression, hypomania and anxiety (5).
Fatigue is a common effect of low testosterone. You might feel like you just don't have the energy that you're used to. Or you might be incredibly tired. But many other things can sap your energy, too, including normal aging and depression.
Testosterone plays a critical role in both physical and emotional health. While loss of muscle mass and sexual desire may be some of the most well-known symptoms of low testosterone, low T can also increase feelings of anxiety and anxiety symptoms.
Although in several species of bird and animal, testosterone increases male–male aggression, in human males, it has been suggested to instead promote both aggressive and nonaggressive behaviors that enhance social status.
Background: The effects of both high and low levels of testosterone are wide ranging and can include changes in mood, often overlapping with symptoms of mood disorders.
Testosterone appears to activate a distributed cortical network, the ventral processing stream, during spatial cognition tasks, and addition of testosterone improves spatial cognition in younger and older hypogonadal men. In addition, reduced testosterone is associated with depressive disorders.
Living with a testosterone deficiency long-term will increase your likelihood of developing age-related diseases, including osteoporosis and heart disease, among others.
Causes of Low Testosterone
Medicine side effects, such as from chemotherapy. Testicle injury or cancer. Problems with glands in the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary) that control hormone production. Low thyroid function.
Acquired circumstances that can lead to secondary hypogonadism include: Normal aging: Aging affects production and response to hormones. Obesity: High body fat can affect hormone production and response. Medications: Opioid pain meds and steroids can affect function of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus.
Research has also found that anticipatory stress can reduce testosterone levels in men. Moreover, unlike the men with normal testosterone levels, men with low testosterone levels tend to have more anxiety and irritability.
Testosterone activates the subcortical areas of the brain to produce aggression, while cortisol and serotonin act antagonistically with testosterone to reduce its effects.
But testosterone deficiency is connected to insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes. Each of these problems increases cardiovascular risk. Men with diabetes and low testosterone also have higher rates of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
“Men with low testosterone are often irritable, anxious, and even depressed.” The sexual difficulties and mood swings in men affect both people in a relationship when a male partner has low testosterone. You may feel confused, unwanted, and frustrated when your sexual bond is failing.
Results: Animal and preliminary human studies suggest that testosterone may facilitate erection by acting as vasodilator of the penile arterioles and cavernous sinusoids.
' A new study shows that men only have to believe they've bested another man in competition to get raised testosterone levels and an inflated sense of their own value as a sexual prospect. Scientists found that this hormonal and psychological shift made men more inclined to approach new potential partners.