Testosterone is a vital hormone, especially for men. The symptoms of having low testosterone can greatly impact your quality of life. Many people are not aware of just how many ways this condition can affect you. So how do you know if you are suffering from this condition?
Symptoms of Low Testosterone
There are many symptoms of this condition, some more obvious than others. Some of the key ones include:
Erectile Dysfunction
There are many factors that go into a man’s ability to have and maintain an erection. Testosterone is just one piece of this puzzle, but not having enough of it in the bloodstream is a common cause of erectile dysfunction.
Low Sex Drive
Along those same lines, low testosterone can also impact a man’s libido. While all men generally feel a decline in their sex drive with age, this is usually much more dramatic for men without enough testosterone.
Low Semen Volume
The final way this condition can impact a man’s sex life involves their semen production. This milky white fluid is important for a man’ sperm mobility.
Increased Fat/Decreased Muscle
Men with low testosterone often find themselves gaining weight as well as losing muscle mass. Gynecomastia, the medical term for when men have enlarged breast tissue, is more common in men with low testosterone. This is believed to be the result of an imbalance between testosterone and estrogen.
Changes in Mood
One way that many men do not realize that low levels of testosterone can impact them has to do with how they feel mentally. Not having enough of this important hormone has been linked to depression, inability to focus, and irritability. This is because testosterone plays a role in many areas of the body, not just sexual health.
Causes of Low Testosterone
There are many reasons why a man’s level of testosterone may be lower than normal. Common ones include:
- Testicular cancer
- Injury to the testicles
- Type 2 diabetes
- Obesity
- Hormonal disorders
- HIV/AIDS
- Kidney or liver disease
Options for Men with Low Testosterone
The first step in treating the problem is diagnosing it. There are a variety of tests we offer that can diagnose your condition. Generally speaking, if a man has less than 300 ng/dL of testosterone in their blood, they may experience the symptoms listed above.
There are treatment options at ProMD Health available for men with low testosterone. If this is something that you feel you would benefit from, consider visiting one of our offices in Baltimore, Annapolis, or Arlington. Contact us today to schedule your consultation!