Low testosterone is nothing to be embarrassed about, but for some men, the symptoms this condition can cause can feel embarrassing to discuss. Without help, this condition won't go away on its own.
Sometimes, however, testosterone levels drop too low. This can reduce your bones' strength and muscle mass, exacerbate sexual issues, and lead to a host of health issues. Low testosterone can be dangerous if not treated.
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.
Millions of men live with a testosterone deficiency. If left unchecked, this treatable condition may contribute to serious health problems like osteoporosis and lowered red blood cell production.
Men with low cortisol levels were often rated as more attractive than guys with high cortisol levels. Testosterone levels were not significantly linked with attractiveness, masculinity or health.
Probably the biggest change that's noticed with low testosterone is your physical appearance. From a young age, your testosterone level dictates things such as voice depth, body hair, and physical composition. These are the things that make you who you are, so it's not hard to notice when these things begin to change.
While testosterone definitely plays a role in your sexual function, many men with low levels of testosterone (also referred to as low-T or hypogonadism) can get erections just fine.
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.
Low Testosterone levels affect 1 in every 4 men over the age of 30 and affects 13 million men in the United States.
Untreated testosterone deficiency will greatly increase your risk for developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and other age-related diseases.
Low testosterone can significantly lower your sex drive and virility. Low testosterone can also cause emotional instability, mood swings, and sleep problems, and reduce your overall vitality. Symptoms of low testosterone include: Erectile dysfunction.
Some men maintain sexual desire at relatively low testosterone levels. For other men, libido may lag even with normal testosterone levels. Low testosterone is one of the possible causes of low libido, however. If testosterone is lowered far enough, virtually all men will experience some decline in sex drive.
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.
“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.”
The low testosterone levels that result can leave men feeling less energetic, less self-assured, and less manly.
Morning erections are a great measure of testosterone health. Men who do not wake up with a morning erection are probably suffering from Low T, and TRT for ED may help. Interestingly, morning erections are usually the first positive report we get from our patients after starting TRT for erectile dysfunction.
“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.
Testosterone helps you attract women.
An estrogenic woman is often attracted to a man with high T levels and vice versa. This makes for prime reproduction. In this case, opposites do attract. However, the reason for this attraction actually goes beyond the masculine-feminine relationship.
Your eyes and face will begin to develop a more angular, male appearance as facial fat decreases and shifts. Please note that it's not likely your bone structure will change, though some people in their late teens or early twenties may see some subtle bone changes.
This study found that men with a low digit ratio (associated with higher prenatal testosterone) exhibited a wider jaw and zygomatic arch (i.e. face width) as compared to those with a higher digit ratio.
Most men feel improvement in symptoms within four to six weeks of taking testosterone replacement therapy, although changes like increases in muscle mass may take from three to six months.