Picking Realistic Systems In Reduced testosterone

There's a fantastic reason men go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone levels are at their web link peak. From there, find out here now however, find out 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.

Though 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 low testosterone is more prevalent in older men, it may occur in younger men also. Fortunately, every one the causes of low testosterone in young guys are treatable, so if you encounter such symptoms at any given age, there is no reason to ignore it.

Causes of Low Testosterone in Younger Men

For younger guys, a fall in testosterone levels can be brought on by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, diabetes, chronic liver or liver disease, COPD or other lung disease, or adrenal gland issues, according to Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in males include the diseases Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disease 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," states Bruce Gilbert, MD, PhD, an adjunct clinical professor of urology and reproductive medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of reproductive and sexual medicine at the Smith Institute for Urology of their North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional causes of low testosterone in males younger than 50 include pituitary gland tumors, HIV disease, and radiation treatment or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as secondary or primary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi states.

Is It Low Testosterone?

Regardless of the cause, low testosterone symptoms would be the same.

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


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.


Not everyone with low testosterone needs treatment. "When it comes to treating low testosterone in younger men, we usually reserve treatment for those who have symptoms, such as fatigue and reduced libido," Gilbert says.

Such testosterone supplements come in the form of gel, injections, patches, long-acting pellets, or oral inserts.

In these circumstances,"therapies are often used just in the short term, and when a doctor has close monitoring and understanding of the patient," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You don't want to offer supplemental testosterone to guys who want to be fertile because 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. "Hence, men of reproductive age should consider alternatives that might improve their testosterone in addition to preserve their sperm production," he states. 1 such alternative is a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other remedies for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and increasing exercise.

The bottom line, however, is that if you have low testosterone symptoms, then it's important to see your physician. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more significant causes of your symptoms, including hypertension or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that can improve your energy and quality of life.

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