Low Testosterone

Also known as Hypogonadism is defined as the failure of the testes to produce sperm, androgen, or both.

Low Testosterone is an exceedingly common disorder, it is shown that this affects about 39% of men that are over the age of 40, and it just increases with age. Researchers have found that as people get older, the chances of this are going to increase. Low testosterone affects about 20% of men that are over the age of 60, 30% of men that are over the age of 70, and 50% of men that are over 80 years old.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone

1. Anxiety

2. Cracking nails and dry skin

3. Depression

4. Diarrhea

5. Early-onset diabetes

6. ED

7. Fatigue

8. Frequent Urination

9. Gynecomastia or feminization

10. High cholesterol

11. Hot flashes and night sweats

12. Infertility

13. Irritability

14. Lack of facial or body hair growth

15. Lack of pubic, underarm, or leg hair

16. Loss of muscle mass or atrophy

17. Low or a complete lack of a libido: sexual desire or interest.

18. More abdominal fat

19. Osteoporosis

20. Problems with memory loss and difficulty concentrating

21. Reduced quality of life

22. Reduced, delayed, or the absence of puberty, which can cause sexual infantilism if it isn’t treated.

23. Saggy testicles

24. Sleep problems or poor sleeping habits

25. Small testicles, small penis, and/or small prostate

Diagnosis:

Low testosterone can be determined through a really simple blood test that is done by a lab and ordered by your doctor. This is a test that is done in the morning hours when your levels will be the highest.

Throughout the day, the level of your testosterone can drop by nearly 13%. Normal testosterone is anywhere between 300-1000 ng/d.

Treatment for Low Testosterone

The Endocrine Society Guidelines from 2010 suggest that treatment is needed so that it can help with sexual function, depression, a sense of well-being and BMD.

Treatment is generally suggested to people that have a low testosterone level of under 350 ng/dL. If the serum total testosterone is between 230 and 350ng/dL then you may want to re-measure to make sure that you are getting the free testosterone levels that you need.

Treatment is necessary sometimes even when the levels are considered to be normal. There is a wide range, so your doctor may suggest it because of how young you are. For example, a man that is 27 years old that has a level of 380 ng/dL would be normal, but for a man of this age, this is really low and will cause them to have some of the symptoms that were listed above. This is a score that would actually place them in the bottom 5% of their age group, and they are going to need to have a treatment option.

There are many options for treatment for low testosterone:

1. Transdermal – this is usually done with gel or a patch and is through the skin.

2. Injections – these are given every 10-14 days.

3. Pellets – these are placed under the skin and will last between 4-6 months.

Oral testosterone was used in the past, but this is no longer used since it has show to be broken down in the liver and really rendered inactive because of this. It can also cause some liver damage that can be severe.

With hormonal therapies, the changes are going to take place over time, it can take as long as 2-3 months to see the changes that you want to see. Testosterone levels will need to be evaluated over time and once you are between 500 and 700 ng/dL, that is going to be considered very good for young, healthy men that are between the ages of 20-40. Once treatment is started, you can get levels tested every 13 days and will help your doctor determine what dose they want to give you.

Historically, it has been said that men that have a risk of prostate cancer should not use testosterone therapy, this is actually a myth. There are some side effects to be aware of like elevation of hematocrit, growth in the size of breasts, although this is very rare, and some find that sleep apnea can be worsened by this and should be watched carefully.

A study that was done by The Endocrine Society shows that men that are over the age of 50 may not live as long if they have low testosterone.

A study that was done in men that had passed between the ages of 50-91 showed that many had level of testosterone that were low for men of their level. It was suggested that men that are dealing with low testosterone have a 33% higher chance of death in the next 18 years than men that had higher levels.

This was an interesting study, because it wasn’t linked to smoking, diabetes, or their level of physical activity, so it may not be the most accurate study, but it is definitely a good advocate for testosterone treatment if yours is low.

If you are feeling at all that you may have low testosterone, or dealing with any of these symptoms, you need to call us right away. At Azia Men’s Health Clinic, we are here to help you with your hormone levels and to be sure that you are able to improve your sexual health the way that you feel that you should. We want you to be healthy and to have a great sex life, and we’re here to help you do it in the healthiest way that you can.