Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

Symptoms of Low Testosterone After 40: Urology Associates Medical Group: Urologists

If you notice sudden changes in hair thickness along with other symptoms, it might be time to explore the root cause. Based on this assessment, your doctor will create a customised treatment plan with the right medication and dosage tailored to your specific needs. A healthcare provider may also want to test for pituitary function, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels.

Some examples are aromatase inhibitors (AI), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM). You’ll have the option of taking prescribed testosterone medication in the form of injectable, oral, or topical treatments. Our ADAM questionnaire is a useful tool to how do i get testosterone replacement therapy some understanding about your symptoms and whether they indicate low testosterone levels. It’s designed to help you and your doctor identify the presence or severity of suspected low testosterone symptoms, guiding you toward the right course of action. Likewise, lower testosterone levels could cause elevated cortisol levels, worsening the body’s stress responses, and raising the risk of anxiety.

Balding can be a natural part of aging, but low testosterone levels can lead to a loss of body hair and facial hair as well. Speaking with your doctor is essential if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms. A simple blood test can confirm your testosterone level and help determine if low testosterone is the cause of your symptoms. Depending on the severity, your doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy to boost testosterone or other treatments to help improve your symptoms and overall health.

Men are encouraged to discuss any heart concerns with their doctor. If TRT raises testosterone levels but does not improve symptoms, providers may recommend that men stop TRT. It’s possible that the symptoms are not related to TD, and further evaluation could be necessary.

Testosterone is one of the hormones naturally produced by both men and women but is more pronounced in its effects for men, where it is produced mainly in the testes. Among its vital functions are affecting appearance and sexual development, stimulating sperm production and the sex drive, as well as building bone mass and muscle. Low testosterone can contribute to a higher risk of bone fractures, especially in aging men. Testosterone plays a vital role throughout a male’s entire lifetime. This hormone develops male sex organs before birth and specific characteristics at puberty like voice deepening, increased penis and testes size, and facial hair growth. Testosterone is essential for libido, sperm production, red blood cell production, and muscle maintenance in adulthood.

However, some researchers and healthcare providers disagree with this and feel that levels below 250 ng/dL are low. Providers also take symptoms into consideration when diagnosing low testosterone. It stimulates the development of male characteristics and is essential for sperm production (spermatogenesis). Levels of testosterone are naturally much higher in men than women.

Even mild medications including asthma treatments, antifungals, and certain painkillers, can reduce testosterone. These factors can accelerate the decrease in testosterone concentration. Aging is a primary cause of decreased testosterone levels in men.

For congenital hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy often helps prevent problems related to delayed puberty. This treatment is called testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT. TRT can be given as a pill, gel, patch, injection, or implant. While testosterone isn’t the only factor involved in achieving an erection, low T can significantly affect your sexual functioning. There are multiple treatment options available to help manage symptoms of hypogonadism, depending on the underlying cause and individual needs. If you’re feeling that something just isn’t right with your body, pay attention to the signs as they may point toward low testosterone. To help you uncover the source of your problems, here are the top five signs that you may be suffering from low testosterone (or low T).