Easy Plans In low testosterone - A Closer Look

There's a fantastic reason men go girl-crazy in their teens and twenties: Their testosterone Learn More levels are at their have a peek here peak. From there, however, testosterone levels Continue 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 New York City.

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

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


For younger men, a fall in testosterone levels can be caused by some ailments, such as type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or liver disease, COPD or other lung disease, 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 result in low testosterone is hemochromatosis, which makes 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 sexual medicine at 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 disease, and radiation treatment or chemotherapy for cancer.

Doctors categorize causes of low testosterone as primary or secondary.

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

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

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

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




Treatments for Low Testosterone in Younger Men

"When it comes to treating low testosterone in younger men, we usually reserve treatment for those who have symptoms, such as fatigue 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.

In these circumstances,"treatments are usually used just in the short term, and if a physician 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 are interested in being fertile since 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 improve their testosterone in addition to maintain their sperm production," he says. One such alternative is a class of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

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

The bottom line, though, is that if you've got low testosterone symptoms, then it is important to see your doctor. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more significant causes of your symptoms, including hypertension or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that could enhance your energy and quality of life.

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