Visual Guide to Low Testosterone
Low Testosterone: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Testosterone is available as a pill but some experts believe long-term oral delivery of testosterone can have negative effects on the liver. These other delivery methods bypass the liver (as they don’t involve a pill being absorbed through the stomach/intestine) and go directly into the bloodstream. Most of the symptoms are very apparent (see previously), but some need to be further investigated (such as low bone density). It should also be noted that low testosterone itself can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Around age 12 or 13, the pituitary gland signals the testicles to start producing testosterone. Testosterone production may start to ebb around age 50, but the clinical data is inconclusive, says Dr. Rogers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration clarified in 2015 that prescribing testosterone for low testosterone levels due to aging constitutes off-label use. Another way to raise your testosterone is through pills that you swallow. Instead they are other kinds of medicine that work well to raise testosterone levels. Experiencing decreased libido, fatigue, or increased body fat?
This can be problematic because females require significantly less testosterone (a much lower dose of medication) than males. Everyone is different, so some people will see improvement in symptoms within a few weeks, while others will need more time to notice any changes. This is mostly dependent on factors such as age and underlying medical conditions. That’s because they don’t manufacture sufficient levels of testosterone for optimal growth and health. Between 19 and 39 percent of older men may have low levels of testosterone. Low testosterone (low T), also called male hypogonadism, may be caused by many things, such as aging, hormone changes, chemotherapy, and others. Losing weight through exercise can increase testosterone levels.
Weight loss and exercise can often increase testosterone levels naturally. An older 2006 study found that women over 65 with low testosterone levels tended to have lower hemoglobin levels, putting them at greater risk for anemia. Low testosterone levels are common in men who have sleep apnea. This potentially severe disorder causes a person to temporarily stop breathing, which can disrupt sleep. Your hypothalamus releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which triggers your pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH).
It is well known that exogenous testosterone can – and often will – cause infertility. Unfortunately, some doctors prescribe testosterone to treat infertility, and inadvertently make the problem worse. The hormone seeps through the skin, and is slowly released into the blood.
Around age 30, a man’s testosterone levels may slowly begin to decline. Approximately 35% of men in their 70s have low-T, according to the American Urological Association. Results of the trials assessing cognitive function, anemia, bone density, and cardiovascular health are forthcoming.
Testosterone replacement therapy may contribute to or cause sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that causes your breathing to stop and start repeatedly while you sleep. It can disrupt your sleep pattern in the process and raise your risk for other complications, like having a stroke.
When a couple is 100 percent sure that they are done with their fertility efforts, men with a history of low testim testosterone gel should be assessed for the need for ongoing TRT. Some men would prefer to stay on their oral SERMs or anastrazole rather than switch over to a gel, patch, pellet, or injections usually used for TRT. As discussed above, the potential problem with this approach is that the impact of taking SERMs and/or anastrazole on a man’s general health over the course of decades is not known. Some men who are done having children are now taking clomiphene long term, but they should be counseled that the long term safety data is not robust and only extends out to 7 years at this time. SERMs impact estrogen receptors throughout the body and this can have unknown health consequences when used for decades.
It can also be helpful to avoid glucocorticoid medications such as prednisone as well as opioid pain medications. Many experts believe testosterone contributes to the higher rates of heart disease and high blood pressure that tend to affect men at younger ages. By this reasoning, high testosterone might be bad for the heart. Research into the relationship between low testosterone and several other health conditions is ongoing.
