Testosterone, one of the essential hormones of the human body, is mainly produced by testicles in men and is responsible for the person’s sexual development and appearance. It boosts sex drive in men, but it also plays a vital role in promoting sperm production. Furthermore, it is responsible for building muscle and bone mass.[1]
As the body ages, the ability of testosterone production reduces too. Studies have shown that two out of ten men are prone to low testosterone levels after 60 years. In fact, more men above the age of 70 and 80 experience low testosterone levels.[2]
The lack of testosterone production is eventually evident with a wide range of symptoms. Low testosterone levels need to be addressed immediately. When testosterone level falls below 300 nanograms per deciliter, it is a sign of low testosterone or low T.
Serum testosterone, a blood test is conducted to determine the levels of testosterone in the body. Initially, low T symptoms are subtle, which becomes prominent with time, especially if the condition isn’t treated.[3]
The common symptoms of low T levels include the following
Having a hard time to achieve an erection
Testosterone regulates sexual function in men. Testosterone plays a vital role in boosting and maintaining an erection. The higher the levels of testosterone, the harder will be the erection. Although testosterone alone doesn’t contribute to erection, it surely helps to instigate brain receptors to produce more nitric oxide.[4]
Nitric oxide is further responsible for boosting chemical reactions that help to achieve an erection. People with low testosterone levels have a hard time achieving erection during sexual activities or achieve an erection spontaneously.[5]
Although there are minimal studies regarding testosterone’s role in erection, it is necessary to check the type of treatment you are undergoing. Often certain conditions can contribute a lot to low testosterone levels. However, low T isn’t always the reason for erectile dysfunction; other conditions may be related to it as well, like
Testosterone is responsible for boosting semen production in the body, a milky fluid that helps the sperms to move effectively and travel inside female genitalia. While semen is released during ejaculation, the low testosterone levels mean that it isn’t as the levels as before.[6]
Low sex drive
Testosterone plays a vital role in boosting libido in men. With increasing age, men tend to experience reduced libido or less desire to indulge in sex. However, people with low T will notice a significant drop in the desire to indulge in sex.
Fatigue
Men with low T often feel tired and fatigued. The decrease in energy levels makes you want to rest all the time. Even with enough sleep, people with low T tend to feel that they can do with a little more. Add to it a lack of desire to exercise, which just adds to the problem.[7]
Loss of muscle mass
Did you think about using testosterone injections to build the body? Testosterone helps to build muscle mass, but people with low T tend to notice a decrease in muscle mass. Although testosterone does not directly impact the muscle mass, it surely helps to boost strength and function.
Hair loss
You need testosterone for different health activities, especially hair production. Balding, for instance, is very common in aging men. However, at times low testosterone may also lead to hair loss. Balding is often considered to be an inherited component, but low T also leads to loss of facial and body hair. Hence, balding due to low T becomes common as well.[8]
Low bone mass
Osteoporosis or bone mass thinning becomes common with aging. However, this condition is often found in women. On the other hand, men too can be prone to reduced muscle mass due to low T. Testosterone is responsible for building bone mass in men and also helps to strengthen it. Men suffering from low T, especially the elder ones, have deficient bone volume, so they become prone to bone fractures.[9]
Mood swings
Mood swings are often related to women, but men with low T also tend to experience mood changes. Testosterone levels regulate not only the physical processes of the body but also the mental processes. Different studies have shown that men with low T tend to become more prone to irritability, lack of focus, and depression.
Increased body fat
Men with low T tend to become obese with time. Often, people develop gynecomastia or enlarged breasts, mostly like man breasts. This mostly occurs due to the disruption or imbalance of testosterone and estrogen levels in men.
Low blood count
Studies have shown that low testosterone levels in men may increase the risk of anemia. The common symptoms of low blood count or anemia include problems in concentration, dizziness, leg cramping, sleeping issues, and abnormal (extremely fast or slow) heartbeat.
Mental impact
With age, cognitive functions and testosterone levels tend to decline. Thus, many doctors have declared low T to be one of the main causes of affected memory.[10]
Various researches have shown that testosterone supplement helps to boost memory levels in men with low T. Still, the severe impact yet happens to be a mystery because whether they took placebo or testosterone is yet unknown.
Small testicle
The testicle’s size tends to be affected a lot by testosterone production. Low T in the body can lead to smaller-than-average sized testicles. High levels of testosterone are required for the proper development of testicles and the penis. But, low levels of testosterone can lead to either disproportionate formation of the penis or testicles. However, it is necessary to note that low testosterone levels aren’t always the cause for smaller-than-average sized penis formation.
Women, for instance, usually suffer from low hormone levels as they come close to the age of menopause. But, the decrease in hormone level becomes very common in men with time. Unlike women, there isn’t a sudden or rapid drop in hormone level, but gradual loss of decline in the hormone levels.
Men with
testosterone levels lower than 300 ng/dL are considered to be affected by low
testosterone levels. Although the symptoms make it prominent, it is
advisable to visit your doctor and carry out the blood test to check for your
body’s hormone levels. There are testosterone medicines as well that can be
helpful for the body.[11]
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6966696/
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[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4650468/
[4] Tsametis CP, Isidori AM. Testosterone replacement therapy: for whom, when and how? Metab Clin Exp. (2018) 86:69–78. 10.1016/j.metabol.2018.03.007 [PubMed] [CrossRef]
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[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4255853/
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[8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391003/
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