Worldwide, 10-40% of men have a testosterone deficiency. Experts believe that low testosterone is becoming more common among younger men, as well, with around 20% of men ages 15-39 experiencing low testosterone.
Neil Spiegel, DO, and Jennifer Gularson, PA, at the Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, Maryland, specialize in helping patients reach an optimal balance of hormones, including testosterone.
In this post, we discuss the role testosterone plays in your health, as well as four signs that could indicate you may need testosterone therapy.
Although women also have testosterone, men usually have a higher level. It’s made in your testicles and can affect your sex drive, some aspects of your physical appearance, and even your mood.
Testosterone levels vary throughout your life and even over the course of a day. Most men have more testosterone in the morning, and levels decline throughout the day. Two glands, your hypothalamus and pituitary glands, control the amount of testosterone your testicles produce.
There are numerous potential causes of low testosterone. Production naturally declines with age, but some conditions can also cause testosterone deficiency.
For example, if you’re born without testicles or your testicles don’t descend (cryptorchidism), you’re more likely to have low testosterone. Injury to your testicles, chemotherapy, and anabolic steroid use can also lead to testosterone deficiency.
Recognizing that you have low testosterone isn’t always a simple process. If your production gradually declines over time, you may not notice any obvious changes.
Perhaps your sex drive seems to be gone. Maybe you’re experiencing some erectile dysfunction. If you notice that things in the bedroom just don’t seem quite right, it could be a sign that you’re not producing enough testosterone.
Testosterone has an impact on both muscle mass and body fat. Muscle mass decreases with low testosterone, though not necessarily strength.
One particular symptom of low testosterone is called gynecomastia, which is enlarged breast tissue. So if you’ve noticed more body fat in your chest area, it could be related to testosterone production.
Fatigue and decreased energy are hallmarks of low testosterone. Because modern life is busy and stressful, you might not notice unusual fatigue. You may feel as if you’re tired because you work, stay up too late sometimes, or you’re just getting older.
But if you get enough sleep and you’re still more fatigued than it seems you should be, it could be a symptom of a hormone imbalance.
Hair loss can be genetic, and it may simply be part of getting older. But loss of facial hair and body hair along with losing hair on your head could be a symptom of testosterone deficiency.
Along with these four symptoms, low testosterone can also contribute to moodiness and problems with memory, as well as decreased bone mass — even osteoporosis. It can also lead to anemia, which is a low red blood cell count.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with us at the Osteopathic Center for Healing. We can do blood work to help determine whether you have any deficiencies and help you reach an optimal level of health.
