Low Testosterone – What You Need to Know About Low Testosterone and Its Effect on Your Health

Low testosterone (man’s sex hormone) is a medical condition in which the male reproductive organs (penises, male reproductive organs) don’t produce adequate testosterone (a male sexual hormone). In men, testosterone helps to maintain and develop: Body hair. Muscle mass. Adequate levels of white blood cells. It is thought that low testosterone may be related to shrinking testicular size and decreased sperm count in men.

In some cases, low testosterone levels are inherited, but other times, they occur due to an injury or infection. Other causes of this ailment may be poor diet, smoking, high blood pressure, chemotherapy, and side effects of certain medications. Symptoms of this disorder include low energy levels, depression, decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, decreased bone density, decreased muscle mass, decreased red blood cells (red blood cell count), decreased libido, decreased fertility, and decreased ability to cope with stress.

Low Testosterone as a disease can affect men of all ages; however, its most common symptoms are present in men in their late twenties through mid-thirties. A doctor may find that there is an excess of circulating estrogen in the body, which may be the cause of the deficiency in testosterone. Other causes are infections, diseases affecting the pituitary gland, medications, and age (e.g., men start to lose muscle mass after the age of 20.)

Because low levels of testosterone are related to decreasing fertility, a doctor may recommend testosterone replacement therapy. This treatment involves taking supplements of testosterone or doing a form of natural supplementation. Supplements are usually made with animal extracts. The animal extract is used because testosterone is produced by the body in small quantities during puberty. Animal extracts contain higher levels of testosterone that human extracts.

Doctors such as those from proactivemensmedical.com may recommend using a testosterone level test to measure low levels of testosterone in a patient. The test will give the doctor an estimated normal value of testosterone levels in the body. Because the levels can vary so much from one person to another, and even from one day to the next, doctors have developed a routine for determining normal testosterone levels based on total testosterone levels and a number of other factors.

In many cases, low levels of testosterone do not result in any symptoms. In those instances, treating the underlying dysfunction is much more important than trying to treat the symptom. Sometimes the best course of action is to treat the dysfunction. However, even in cases when low levels of testosterone do result in symptoms, sometimes testosterone therapy can help to alleviate the symptoms. When this is the case, it is always advisable to discuss this with your doctor.

Low Testosterone (LHT) is a naturally occurring hormone in men, though women have very little levels. When a man has a low level of natural testosterone, the consequences can include impotence, erectile dysfunction and decreased sex drive. The hormone plays many roles in a man’s body, including: producing sperm, acting as a hormone on reproductive organs, maintaining and developing bones, creating mood and bringing strength to muscles. Testosterone also is involved in preparing the prostate for ejaculation. The male hormone is secreted in the testicles and adrenal glands, where it helps to maintain and produce hormones throughout the body. The male hormone also is responsible for growth, maintenance and recovery from puberty.

The decreased production of testosterone helps to reduce bone mass. Osteoporosis is the common cause of low bone mass in men, because it reduces the amount of calcium in their bodies and causes decreased activity. Excessively low levels of calcium and vitamin D in the blood lead to decreased levels of testosterone and increased fat levels. Testosterone helps to build muscle mass through building up muscle fibers, increasing bone density and reducing blood fats. Low levels of testosterone also can cause decreased levels of DHT, which is responsible for hair loss in men.

When a man has low testosterone, sperm may be less mature and are less motility. This can affect fertility in ways that are not understood fully, but one possible outcome is that when sperm is less motile, it may require more time to travel to the egg. Less time for the sperm to meet the egg may also mean that there is not as much of a chance of fertilization. Less time for the sperm to reach the egg also means that there is less of a chance for the sperm to be able to implant on the egg.

One side effect of low testosterone production is sleep apnea. In men, sleep apnea is caused by a decreased amount of oxygen in the brain, due to decreased blood flow. Low testosterone levels are associated with increased amounts of carbon dioxide in the body, so testosterone replacement therapy may help to improve sleep apnea. Some of the medications used to treat sleep apnea have been known to cause sleep problems, so sleep apnea is often considered when deciding on medication. Sometimes, low testosterone levels are responsible for other symptoms, like irritability, depression and anxiety.

Low testosterone levels are also believed to contribute to male sexual dysfunction. The decreased production of testosterone is thought to contribute to erectile dysfunction and decreased libido. Low levels of testosterone have also been linked to conditions like diabetes and osteoporosis.

Testosterone deficiencies may also cause mood swings and other emotional disturbances. Men with reduced levels of testosterone may develop symptoms such as irritability, depression and anxiety. If you are experiencing any of these problems, it is best to consult your doctor, since they may be caused by a testosterone deficiency. The symptoms of low testosterone may develop slowly over time, or they may appear suddenly.