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Causes & Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men

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Testosterone is a steroid hormone and the principal male sex hormone. In males, this anabolic steroid plays a key role in the development of the male reproductive tissues, including testis and prostate. Testosterone is responsible for the promotion of secondary sexual characteristics like growth in muscle mass, body hair, bone mass, etc. in men. Testosterone is also essential for well-being and the maintenance of health, and the prevention of a condition known as osteoporosis in men. Low testosterone levels in men can affect the health and also result in other undesirable symptoms.

Testosterone is the male hormone that produces sex drive and develops secondary male characteristics, such as facial hair, chest hair and a lower voice in men. A male’s normal testosterone level begins at about 300 ng/dL. However, many men may experience low testosterone levels, particularly after the age of 30 years. While symptoms of low testosterone in men are worth understanding, the basic complaint usually involves loss of interest in sex. Low testosterone in men is also considered as a sign of aging by many people and may be associated with other symptoms as well.

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What Causes Low Testosterone Levels in Men?
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Low testosterone levels produce a number of symptoms, which are similar to symptoms produced by other medical problems. Hence, symptoms of low testosterone in men need to be properly evaluated.

What Causes Low Testosterone Levels in Men?

Certain conditions can affect testosterone levels in men. Some causes of low testosterone levels in men include:

  • Testicular problems like injuries, testicular cancer and treatment of testicular cancer.
  • Hormonal problems that affect testosterone production
  • Certain infections affecting the testicles or testicular production, HIV/AIDS
  • Medical conditions like type 2 diabetes chronic kidney or liver diseases or certain genetic conditions
  • Certain medicines, which affect hormonal production in men.
  • Being overweight or obesity
  • Normal aging.

Symptoms Low Testosterone in Men

Symptoms Low Testosterone in Men

While low scores do not necessarily produce symptoms of low testosterone related health problems in every case, treatment is necessary. If left unattended, low testosterone in men can often lead to degradation in bone density. This can make bones increasingly fragile, and vulnerable to damage, such as fracture.

Low testosterone levels can produce a variety of symptoms in men. These include,

Variations in Sleeping Patterns

Low testosterone levels can bring significant variations in sleeping patterns, which can produce a number of other issues, such as low body energy, fatigue, and constant weakness. Symptoms of changes and variations in your sleeping patterns can appear as a consequence to low testosterone levels in your body.

Weight Gain

Though the symptoms of weight gain can be caused by a large number and variety of factors, low testosterone level is one of them. Reduction in your testosterone levels can cause your body to store up more fat, and gain you a significant amount of weight pretty quickly. Low testosterone levels can often make it harder for your body to lose extra fat, and can cause it to add up and gain you weight.

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Erectile Dysfunction

Low testosterone levels can often cause erectile dysfunction, and make you unable to maintain, or even develop an erection. Erectile dysfunction is a condition that can develop in men when they have low testosterone levels.

Significant Drops in Body Energy

Low testosterone levels can cause a variety of symptoms, and this includes noticeable reduction in your body energy. This might cause you to constantly feel weaker or more tired than you would usually expect yourself to be, and make it harder and undesirable for you to carry out physically stressful or even simple activities.

Reduced Muscle Mass

Low testosterone levels in males can also cause symptoms of reduction in muscle mass, while having the patient gain more body fat. Male individuals with lower-than-normal testosterone levels may find it hard to develop or retain their muscle structure. Low testosterone levels, in men, can significantly affect the muscle mass and structure, and cause decline in the condition of your muscles.

Decrease in Sperm Count

Low testosterone levels can also further reduce sperm count in males experiencing the situation. This can result in certain other possible consequential issues, such as infertility. Reduction in testosterone levels in male individuals can bring significant drops in their sperm count.

Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is a somewhat common disorder developed in the endocrine system, which involves the development of an increase in the size of male breast tissues. Low testosterone can also sometimes induce symptoms of gynecomastia, causing an increase in the size of male breasts.

Sparse Body and Facial Hair

Low testosterone levels in male individuals can also result in the decline in the density of male facial and body hair. Any such hair on the male body, due to low testosterone levels, may not develop well enough, and are likely to appear sparse.

Reduced Libido

Another symptom that can often arise due to low testosterone levels in males includes a gradual reduction in sex drive or libido. This condition may often be overlooked by patients; however, can often be a result or an effect of low testosterone levels.

Increase in Refractory Period

Males experiencing reduction in testosterone levels may also notice an increase in their refractory period as symptom of this condition. This means, that once the individual suffering with the testosterone decline has managed to reach the happy and fun place after all the hard work, it will take him a longer-than-usual time period to begin another journey into the wild. And no, we haven’t been talking about jungles and amusement parks.

Brain Fog and Weaker Memory

A symptom that you may experience due to reduction in your testosterone levels, as a male, includes ‘brain fog’, i.e. finding it difficult to concentrate on thoughts or surroundings, as well as the weakening of your memory.

References:

  1. “Testosterone: Functions, Dysfunctions, and Treatment” – Frontiers in Hormone Research [Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27918237]
  2. “Testosterone and Its Effects on the Reproductive System” – Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism [Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3315409/]
  3. “Low Testosterone: A Common Problem That Is Frequently Overlooked” – Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine [Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472916/]
  4. “The Effects of Testosterone on Body Composition in Obese Men” – Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism [Link: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/87/4/1552/2846535]
  5. “Testosterone and Sexual Function” – Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism [Link: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/92/1/32/2598430]
  6. “Testosterone and Male Infertility” – Asian Journal of Andrology [Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3739319/]
  7. “Gynecomastia: Pathophysiology, Evaluation, and Management” – Mayo Clinic Proceedings [Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472878/]
  8. “Testosterone and Brain Function” – Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology [Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23727589/]

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:July 25, 2023

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