Convenient Systems In low testosterone

There's a fantastic reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone company website levels are at their that site peak. From that point, though, click here for more testosterone levels slowly decrease.

"After age 30, most men begin to experience a gradual decline in testosterone," states David Samadi, MD, chairman of the urology department at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Although testosterone levels never reach zero (as estrogen levels do in women during menopause), low testosterone levels men to experience symptoms such as fatigue, low libido, and loss of muscle mass.

While reduced testosterone is more common in older men, it can occur in younger men also. Fortunately, all of the causes of low testosterone in young guys are curable, so in the event that you encounter these symptoms at any given age, there is no reason to ignore it.


For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels may be brought on by some ailments, such as type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, COPD or other lung disorder, or adrenal gland issues, based on Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in men include the ailments Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disorder that could result in low testosterone is hemochromatosis, which makes the body shop too much iron.

"Low testosterone can also result when something happens, like trauma or steroid use, that prevents the testes from making the hormone," says Bruce Gilbert, MD, PhD, an adjunct clinical professor of urology and reproductive medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of reproductive and reproductive medicine at the Smith Institute for Urology of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional causes of low testosterone in men younger than 50 include pituitary gland tumors, HIV infection, and radiation therapy or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as secondary or primary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi says. "This could be from a developmental issue, injury to the testicles, or radiation or chemotherapy treatment. In secondary hypogonadism, the testicles are normal but function improperly because of a problem with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland."

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

Regardless of the reason, low testosterone symptoms are the same.

"Symptoms include low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, decreased mental acuity, and moodiness," Dr. Gilbert states.

"Younger men with low testosterone usually come to me and say, ‘I can't work out like I used to, and I've lost interest in sex.' ”

If you suspect low testosterone, the first step is to see your primary care physician. Your doctor can diagnose low testosterone with a blood test.

If your blood test reveals low testosterone (usually defined as a level lower than 300 ng/dL), the doctor may treat you or refer you to a specialist, such as a urologist or endocrinologist.


"When it comes to treating low testosterone in younger men, we usually reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as fatigue and low libido," Gilbert says.

In men who don't make the hormone in their testes because of a condition such as Klinefelter syndrome, or those who have lost their testes because of cancer, the only option is testosterone replacement therapy. Such testosterone supplements come in the form of a gel, injections, patches, long-acting pellets, or oral inserts.

In these circumstances,"treatments are often used just in the brief term, and if a physician has close monitoring and understanding of the patient," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You do not want to give supplemental testosterone to guys who want to be fertile since it can turn off sperm production," Gilbert says.

Once a young man goes off testosterone supplementation, there's a chance his sperm count will never return to what it was before he started. "Therefore, men of reproductive age should think about alternatives which may increase their testosterone as well as preserve their semen production," he says. One such choice is a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other treatments for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier and increasing exercise.

The bottom line, though, is that if you have low testosterone symptoms, it's very important to see your doctor. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more significant causes of your symptoms, including high blood pressure or a thyroid problem, and offer treatment that could enhance your energy and high quality of life.

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