Essential Criteria For low testosterone - Insights

There's a good reason guys go girl-crazy in their teens and why not try these out twenties: Their testosterone levels are at why not check here their peak. From great site that point, however, testosterone levels 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 nyc.

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 reduction of muscle mass.

While low testosterone is more common in older men, it may occur in younger men also. Fortunately, all of the causes of low testosterone in young guys are treatable, so if you experience these symptoms at any age, there is no reason to dismiss it.


For younger guys, a fall in testosterone levels can be caused by some illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, COPD or other lung disorder, or adrenal gland problems, based on Dr. Samadi.

Genetic causes of low testosterone in males include the diseases Klinefelter syndrome, Kallmann syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and Myotonic dystrophy. Another disorder that can result in 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," says Bruce Gilbert, MD, PhD, an adjunct clinical professor of urology and reproductive medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and director of reproductive and reproductive 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 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.

Can It Be Low Testosterone?

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

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



If your blood test reveals low testosterone (usually defined as a level lower than 300 ng/dL), the doctor may treat you or refer you to a specialist, such as a urologist or endocrinologist.


Not everyone with low testosterone needs treatment. "When it comes to treating low testosterone in younger guys, we usually reserve treatment for those 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 monitoring and understanding of the patient," Gilbert says.

An important consideration for younger men before getting treatment is fertility. "You don't want to offer supplemental testosterone to men 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 which may increase their testosterone as well as preserve their semen production," he says. 1 such choice is a category of drugs known as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

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

The bottom line, however, is that in the event that you have low testosterone symptoms, then it is important to see your physician. Then, your doctor can rule out potentially more serious causes of your symptoms, such as high blood pressure or a thyroid problem, and give treatment that can enhance your power and quality of life.

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