Low Testosterone Low T: Symptoms, Causes, and More

10 Alarming Signs of Low Testosterone Levels

As a man ages, the amount of testosterone produced in his body gradually drops. This natural decline starts after age 30 and continues at a rate of about 1% per year throughout his life. When your testosterone levels are low, you might have trouble with insomnia and restlessness at night. You may forget what you planned to do and have trouble concentrating. This happens more often when testosterone levels are extremely low.

Never treat low testosterone on your own with medicines your doctor hasn’t approved. Instead, talk to your doctor about different ways to treat your illness so you can find one that works for you. Testosterone helps make bone tissue and keep the volume of bones. Low testosterone can cause this volume to shrink, which can make the bones more likely to break. Additionally, studies show that testosterone makes osteoporosis worse. Because testosterone affects so many things, you may have signs and not even know it.

Low testosterone occurs in men when the testicles don’t produce the levels of the male sex hormone that they’re designed to produce. This can cause many problems for men because testosterone plays an important role in the male body. It helps develop sexual characteristics, maintain muscle and bone mass, keep your red blood cell levels up, and give you an overall sense of well-being. During puberty, those levels are important for developing features in men like a deeper voice, facial hair, and muscle strength. But too much loss leads to hypogonadism, which is defined as testosterone levels below 300 nanograms per deciliter. A variety of factors – from injury to obesity – can lead to low testosterone. A testosterone deficiency can affect many aspects of well-being – from muscle strength and energy to libido and mood.

It is not what directly causes the erection, but it has a major role in stimulating brain receptors that produce nitrous oxide. This molecule helps to trigger a series of chemical reactions necessary for an erection. However, low jaw testosterone before and after face – https://www.sued-afrika.de/jslibs/pgs/?appetitz_gler_2.html – is the cause for about half of men who experience erection difficulties. Other causes can include thyroid malfunction, diabetes, smoking and alcohol use, and psychological factors such as stress or depression. Because testosterone plays a key role in a man’s sex drive, men with low T can experience a marked reduction in their libido. When hormonal changes occur within the body, it can interfere with a variety of day-to-day functions.

Research suggests that as you age and your testosterone levels gradually drop, you may also experience a decrease in the size of your testicles. Both testosterone levels and cognitive functions, particularly memory, decline with age. As a result, doctors have theorized that lower testosterone levels may contribute to affected memory. Low testosterone can make it difficult to achieve or maintain erections. However, low testosterone itself is not always a direct cause of erectile dysfunction.

You may also be able to get the medicine without injections by using a nasal pump. Your  testosterone levels can swing up and down between doses. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and steroid medicines can also affect testosterone levels. Males with low testosterone may experience extreme fatigue and decreased energy.

Even if you don’t have sleep apnea, low testosterone can still contribute to a decrease in the hours of sleep. Because testosterone affects so many functions, its decrease can bring about significant physical and emotional changes. Besides sexual functions, testosterone is also responsible for regulating higher mental functions such as concentration and focus. Therefore, hypogonadal men often report difficulty in concentrating while taking care of important tasks or work, problem-solving, multi-tasking and memory related issues (4). The hormone seeps through the skin, and is slowly released into the blood. Because gels and patches are applied every day, they keep a steady level of testosterone. However, they can cause itching, irritation, and blisters at the spot where they’re applied.

That level spikes again during puberty, causing boys to develop underarm hair, go through growth spurts and develop sexually. An adult male’s testosterone level should be between 270 and 1000. Testosterone levels peak at about the age of 20 years, and then the testosterone slowly declines with age.