Essential Criteria For low testosterone - Insights

There's a good reason men go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their a knockout post testosterone levels are navigate here at their peak. From that Read More Here point, however, testosterone levels gradually decrease.

"After age 30, most men begin to experience a gradual decline in testosterone," says David Samadi, MD, chairman of the urology department at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

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

While low testosterone is more prevalent in older men, it can occur in younger men as well. Fortunately, every one the causes of low testosterone in young guys are treatable, so in the event that you experience such symptoms at any given age, there's no reason to dismiss it.

Causes of Low Testosterone in Younger Men

For younger men, a drop in testosterone levels may be caused by some ailments, such as type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or liver disease, COPD or other lung disorder, or pituitary gland issues, according to Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in men include the ailments Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disorder that could cause low testosterone is hemochromatosis, making the body shop 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 sexual medicine in the Smith Institute for Urology of their North Shore-LIJ Health System.

Additional 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 primary or secondary.

"Primary hypogonadism stems from a problem in the testicles," Samadi says.

Is It Low Testosterone?

Regardless of the cause, low testosterone symptoms are the same.

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

"Younger men with low testosterone usually come to me and say, 'I can't work out like I used to, and I've lost interest in sex.’ ”

If you suspect low testosterone, the first step is to see your primary care physician.



Not everyone with low testosterone needs treatment. "When it comes to treating low testosterone in older men, we generally reserve treatment for people who have symptoms, such as fatigue and low libido," Gilbert says.


In these circumstances,"therapies are often used only in the short term, and if a physician has close observation and knowledge of the patient," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You do not wish to offer supplemental testosterone to guys who are interested in being 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. "Therefore, men of reproductive age should consider alternatives that might increase their testosterone in addition to maintain their semen production," he says. One such alternative is a category of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

Other treatments for low testosterone include weight loss and other lifestyle modifications, like eating healthy and increasing exercise.

The bottom line, though, is that if you have low testosterone symptoms, then it's important to see your physician. Then, your doctor can rule out more serious causes of your symptoms, including high blood pressure or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that can enhance your power and quality of life.

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