There are many signs and symptoms of Low Testosterone. Some are more closely related to Low-T levels specific signs and symptoms. Others may not necessarily be linked non-specific signs and symptoms. Your doctor will help you make sense of your own situation. Having any one of the specific or non-specific symptoms may not mean that you have TD.
But if you have a mix of symptoms, for instance, if you start to feel very tired and sad over a period of time and this is a change for you, you may want to check for TD. Low sexual desire alone may not mean that you have TD. But if you have a combination of low sexual desire, reduced erectile function, and feelings of sadness and tiredness, you should talk to your doctor.
Basically, if your testicles keep making less testosterone than normal, your blood levels of testosterone will fall. Many men who develop TD have Low-T levels linked to:. Although many symptoms may be tied to Low Testosterone Low-T , total blood testosterone level is the most important measure of testosterone deficiency.
To make a diagnosis, your doctor will use other specific signs and symptoms in addition to your testosterone blood level. At your medical visit, your health history will be taken, and the doctor will do an exam and look for some of the signs and symptoms mentioned in this article.
You may hear about free testosterone or bioavailable tests for testosterone. These are not the same as total testosterone level tests. Ask your doctor about the differences and if you need these tests. In recent years, the media has reported more about Testosterone Therpy TT , and more men between the ages of 40 and 64 have been tested and given TT. Some men with certain symptoms may even want TT without being tested. This action may not be safe or helpful for them. Total testosterone level should always be tested before any TT.
Here are some of the things you will need to know about TT:. There are generally five different ways to take testosterone. No method is better than another. While you are taking TT, your doctor will test your blood to determine testosterone levels. A topical patch is like a band-aid with medicine on it. You put it on and leave it until the next dose is due. The medicine on the patch is less likely than liquids, gels and creams to transfer to others.
You may want to choose how you take your testosterone based on what is best or most useful for you. In some cases, your insurance provider may decide the order in which testosterone therapies are provided.
Talk about the choices with your doctor. There are some side effects of TT. Some side effects are mild while others are more serious. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist about these side effects and watch for them while you are taking TT. Some of the side effects are as follows:.
Remember that each person is unique, and each body responds differently to treatment. However, there is no strong evidence that TT will help memory recall, measures of diabetes, energy, tiredness, lipid profiles, or quality of life. You will need routine checkups to see that your testosterone level stays normal. In patients who are stable on TT, total testosterone and certain other lab tests should be checked every months.
If you are overweight, try to work on keeping your weight within recommended ranges. Increasing physical activity may help you lose weight and also may help increase testosterone levels. When you go to see your doctor, you may be a bit nervous.
It will help if you make a list of the most important things on your mind. Here are some ideas:. The participants were seen every 4 weeks. Blood was taken to measure hormone levels, and questionnaires were given to assess physical function, health status, vitality, and sexual function. Body fat and muscle measurements were also taken at the beginning and end of the 16 weeks.
The researchers found that the dose of testosterone required to produce different effects in the body varied widely.
The influence of testosterone and estradiol also differed. As the testosterone gel dose was reduced, the scientists showed, reductions in lean mass, muscle size, and leg-press strength resulted from decreases in testosterone itself. In contrast, increases in body fat were due to the related declines in estradiol. Testosterone replacement therapy TRT can help restore some affected functions of low testosterone. Studies have shown that TRT mainly impacts bone strength and hemoglobin levels in the blood, but not mental sharpness.
Deciding to pursue a course of TRT involves deciding between the perceived benefit of the therapy on the symptoms of a particular individual and the risks of the treatment. A recent study, for example, suggests that TRT provides extra benefit for overall mortality and stroke for men whose testosterone levels have normalized with TRT.
However, the Endocrine Society advises that doctors should not prescribe TRT to men aged less than 65 years, even if they have low testosterone levels. The risks and suggested benefits of TRT for men younger than this are unclear, as are the benefits.
Current research is conflicting. Additional studies into testosterone replacement are necessary for physicians to fully understand its potential risks and benefits, and to identify the individuals that may see the most benefit.
Prohormones are a variety of steroid. They are often used to support weight loss and muscle-building. A number of prohormone supplements are marketed at men to treat low testosterone levels. Such supplements can include dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA , and the herbal product Tribulus terrestris.
However, a bill was passed in banning designer anabolic steroids. Legal variants have emerged since. However, there is little, if any, research to indicate that these prohormone supplements affect testosterone levels. Research from did not find any evidence that Tribulus terrestris , for example, can increase testosterone levels.
Such remedies may pose a risk to health. The law does not require herbal supplements to be proven safe before sale, so caution is advised. Prohormones can increase testosterone but boost estrogen , the female hormone, at the same time.
The potential side effects of prohormones plus their unproven clinical benefits make them a poor, possibly dangerous choice for boosting testosterone. For men, testosterone levels are important to maintain, but they naturally decrease over time. If symptoms of severe or chronic low testosterone are showing, the hormone deficiency may be caused by an active disease or condition. Treatment can lead to unwanted side effects, so it can be crucial to balance the expected benefits of testosterone supplementation with the risks of the treatment.
Urology Care Foundation. American Family Physician. October 1, Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety. October February 26, Therapeutic Use of Androgens in Women. The Endocrine Society. Clinical Interventions in Aging. September Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Office on Women's Health. May 27, Journal of the Endocrine Society. August 1, March Is Testosterone Therapy Safe? Mayo Clinic. December 13, Health Topics. Health Tools. Men's Health. Reviewed: June 10,
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