Easy Plans In Reduced testosterone - A Closer Look

There's a good reason men go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone levels have a peek at this website are at their peak. anonymous From that point, however, testosterone click here to read 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 nyc.

Though testosterone levels never reach zero (as estrogen levels do in women during menopause), low testosterone levels men to experience symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and loss of muscle mass.

While low testosterone is more common in older men, it can occur in younger guys as well. Fortunately, all of the causes of low testosterone in young men are curable, so in the event that you encounter these symptoms at any given age, there is no reason to dismiss it.

Causes of Low Testosterone in Younger Men

For younger guys, a drop in testosterone levels may be caused by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, COPD or other lung disease, or pituitary gland problems, according to Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in men include the diseases Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disease which could result in low testosterone is hemochromatosis, making the body store 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 reproductive medicine in the Smith Institute for Urology of the North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Other causes of low testosterone in men younger than 50 include pituitary gland tumors, HIV infection, and radiation therapy or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as secondary or primary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi says. "This could be from a developmental issue, injury to the testicles, or radiation or chemotherapy treatment. In secondary hypogonadism, the testicles are normal but function improperly because of a problem with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland."

Is It Low Testosterone?

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

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



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 an urologist or endocrinologist.


"When it comes to treating low testosterone in older men, we usually reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as tiredness and low libido," Gilbert says.

In men who don't make the hormone in their testes because of a condition such as Klinefelter syndrome, or those who have lost their testes because of cancer, the only option is testosterone replacement therapy. Such testosterone supplements come in the form of a gel, injections, patches, long-acting pellets, or oral inserts.

In these circumstances,"treatments 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 wish 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 think about alternatives which may increase their testosterone as well as preserve their sperm production," he states. 1 such choice is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other treatments for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy and raising exercise.

The bottom line, though, is that in the event that you've got low testosterone symptoms, then it is very important to see your doctor. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more serious causes of your symptoms, such as high blood pressure or a thyroid problem, and offer treatment that could enhance your power and high quality of life.

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