Low Testosterone Low T: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Growth Hormone Deficiency Symptoms in Children and Adults

For men, producing too little testosterone can make estrogen levels too high. This imbalance can cause gynecomastia, a condition where men develop larger breasts due to higher estrogen levels and low testosterone levels. Aging men with low T may find developing and maintaining muscle mass to be difficult. While low testosterone won’t decrease muscle mass, men may feel that their overall strength has decreased due to low T. Sleep deprivation can also result in increased irritability, a weakened immune system, weight gain, low sex drive and more. However, when its symptoms directly threaten a man’s overall health, treatment for low testosterone becomes crucial.

If you’ve experienced a decreased interest in intimacy or find it harder to become aroused, low T could be the culprit. While libido naturally changes over time, a sudden or sustained drop in interest can indicate a hormonal imbalance. While testosterone is often called the male sex hormone, it is an important hormone for people of any sex. But males naturally have much more testosterone compared to females, so low testosterone is an issue men more often have. For women, testosterone issues more commonly revolve around levels that are too high.

Early detection and intervention are key to managing low testosterone effectively, preventing complications, and improving overall health. Cognitive decline, including difficulties with memory, concentration, and decision-making, can be an indicator of low testosterone. Testosterone receptors are present in various brain regions, and the hormone plays a role in cognitive function and brain health. When testosterone levels are low, individuals may experience forgetfulness, difficulty focusing on tasks, and a general decline in cognitive abilities. These changes can be subtle at first but may become more pronounced over time, affecting work performance and daily activities. Additionally, low testosterone has been linked to sleep apnea, a condition characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep.

Lack of sleep, moodiness, weight gain and decreased strength can also influence these feelings. Late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) is a type of secondary male hypogonadism that results from normal aging. As males age they have a deterioration of hypothalamic-pituitary function and Leydig cell function that decrease testosterone and/or sperm production.

However, a 2017 study on testosterone supplementation did not find memory improvements in 493 men with low testosterone levels who took testosterone or a placebo. While the therapies mentioned above can ease symptoms and extend life, they also have potential side effects. As such, it is essential to carefully discuss personal goals and desires with your cancer care team and family and weigh the risks vs. the possible benefits of all therapies.

However, these results are limited because the data are derived from military service members and individuals with pathological conditions such as prostate cancer. Therefore, these retrospective results might lack some degree of generalizability beyond former service members and patients with prostate cancer. Physically, individuals may experience reduced muscle mass, decreased bone density, and a drop in energy levels, which make everyday tasks more challenging and increase the risk of injury, says Bailey. Plus, across the lifetime, it can result in increased risk for things like insulin resistance, osteoporosis (low bone density), and cardiovascular disease, says Houman. When a male’s testosterone levels are low, it can cause a variety of symptoms. These can include low libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, irritability, and reduced lean muscle mass. As well as affecting you physically, testosterone has an impact on your mental health.

One 2017 review found that testosterone replacement therapy significantly improved depression symptoms and overall quality of life in those with low testosterone. Some evidence suggests that people with low testosterone levels are likely to experience a lack of focus, irritability, and depression. Studies show that testosterone replacement testosterone therapy (www.krizia.it) therapy can improve erectile function in people with mild erectile dysfunction.

As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students. Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing. Wolter completed his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Illinois. He then completed his urology residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, followed by a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.