For many conditions, early detection is invaluable — preventing patients from having to endure frustrating symptoms and having them persist unnecessarily. Providing timely treatment can, therefore, lead to significant relief and spare you many challenges along the way. The same rings true for symptoms of low T.
Testosterone deficiency affects up to 40% of men worldwide and constitutes an array of pesky symptoms that can impact your overall health, and mental state, as well as your personal and professional lives.
Being aware of common low testosterone symptoms can hence help you detect the condition easily, enabling you to seek out professional support if needed and limiting the impact of testosterone deficiency on your personal life and relationships.
But to discover symptoms in a timely fashion, you will need to familiarize yourself with some of the most common low T symptoms — albeit several symptoms are unspecific, which means they will require further testing.
Common Low Testosterone Symptoms
Having low testosterone levels can lead to a wide range of symptoms, some of which cannot immediately be assigned to hypogonadism — the medical term for testosterone deficiency — as they may occur with other conditions as well. Thus, some low T symptoms are more straightforward than others.
The multitude of symptoms, taken collectively, is more indicative of an underlying testosterone imbalance. Yet, sometimes symptom consistency and severity are also pivotal in identifying the root cause.
So what are some of the symptoms you may experience with low T? Let’s find out.
Change in Sexual Function & Drive
Testosterone is the male sex hormone and as such regulates your sex drive. During the natural aging process, men begin to gradually produce less testosterone (ultimately producing less estradiol as well), which can lead to poor sexual performance.
Decreased levels of testosterone, especially in aging men, have been associated with decreased sexual desire. A survey conducted on 3,400 men further identified erectile dysfunction as a key symptom of (late onset) hypogonadism, including a reduced frequency of erections upon waking and fewer sexual thoughts.
Erectile dysfunction is, therefore, a critical factor of poor sexual performance and impacts both the sex and personal lives of many patients suffering from low testosterone. In addition, low libido and erectile dysfunction are some of the earliest signs indicating that you may be testosterone deficient, so make sure to reach out to your doctor if any of them apply to you.
Loss of Muscle Mass
Surely, you have heard that testosterone plays a major role in muscle growth, with some athletes abusing anabolic steroids to simply gain more muscle mass. Men with low testosterone may find themselves scratching their heads when suddenly the walk to the gym yields less results.
In fact, testosterone is responsible for the production of muscle protein, leading to an increase in muscle mass. This means that if your body produces adequate amounts of testosterone, the synthesis of muscle protein will strengthen your muscles and increase your lean muscle mass.
Therefore, losing muscle mass, which usually correlates with an increase in fat, can be indicative of insufficient levels of testosterone in your blood.
Depressive Symptoms & Fatigue
Are you suddenly feeling tired all the time and you’re drained beyond comprehension even though you’re not doing anything differently? This sluggish feeling of fatigue and zero energy is one of the most profound and most common — yet non-specific symptoms of low T — which can severely impact your overall life quality.
But as a hormone, testosterone can have a much broader impact. With the decline in testosterone production with age, the prevalence of depression increases, with much research indicating that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can potentially help alleviate depressive symptoms.
Such symptoms may include irritability, mood changes, feelings of sadness, the inability to concentrate, and changes in sleeping patterns. The potential correlation between testosterone deficiency and depression has been the subject of many trials, with the male hormone identified as a possible biomarker for developing depression.
Obesity
Since testosterone is responsible for the production of muscle mass, testosterone deficiency can impair said production, reducing your metabolism at the same time, and increasing your body fat.
Research indicates that testosterone holds a unique role in the development of metabolic diseases, including obesity. Testosterone deficiency can thus contribute to weight gain, with excess fat primarily accumulating in the abdominal region.
This metabolic dysfunction caused by low T levels can then lead to various symptoms and conditions, all of which have the potential to further exacerbate obesity. These include inadequate glycemic control, type 2 diabetes, decreased insulin sensitivity, and high cholesterol.
What to Do if You’re Having Symptoms of Low T?
Persistent symptoms of low T can drain you and become a burden over time, affecting your routine, everyday life, and your interactions with the people around you. Depressive symptoms can go as far as impacting your mood and even your work.
It’s important to know the symptoms so you can seek help if you need to. If you’re experiencing any low T symptoms for a period of time — one which you can’t explain based on your previous medical history, schedule a consultation with your doctor and ask him about testosterone deficiency.
While your primary care provider can evaluate some of your symptoms and order relevant lab tests, he will most likely recommend you reach out to an endocrinologist or urologist so you can receive specialty care.
While relying on both the physical assessment and lab evaluation, your provider will discuss your options and treatment plan. Besides testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), your doctor will likely also recommend you make adjustments to your diet and engage in some sort of physical activity daily. Remember to take it one step at a time and to reach out to your doctor for questions!
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