The testosterone is responsible for the things you associate with the general appearance of men. During the puberty stage, the hormone is what builds muscle, deepens the voice, and increases the size of sex organs.
Throughout the life of a man, this hormone also drives libido and maintains the health of bones and muscles. The levels of this hormone reach their peak when the puberty stage approaches its end, around 17 years old. However, it usually retains high levels until around 30 years old.
After 30, many men will experience a steady decline in the levels of this hormone. Most will even notice that this has something with the loss of their sexual desire, something that is completely normal. But, there are times when the levels drop extremely low. It can reduce your muscle mass and the strength of your bones, worsen sexual issues, and result in a plethora of health problems. If left untreated, low testosterone levels can even prove to be dangerous.
Do you feel like you are running low on this hormone? Make sure your health is always your priority before anything else.
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The Basics of Low Testosterone
As mentioned earlier, most men suffer from a decline in the levels of this particular hormone once they reach the age of 30 or so. It is a completely normal thing as it is a part of aging. Around 2.1% of men are suffering from this condition of low hormonal levels. Even though just 1% of men under 30 years old experience this problem, more than 50% of men of over 80 years old experience symptoms. As the Baby Boomer generation inches further to old age, there is the risk that more and more men will be dealing with this concern.
Symptoms to Watch Out For
Low hormonal levels can result in different symptoms. Since this hormone plays an integral role in energy and sex drive, most men are going to experience fatigue and sexual difficulty. The common symptoms include:
- Decreased erectile function
- Decreased sex drive
- Less growth of beard
- Body hair loss
- Lean muscle mass loss
- Affected memory
- Fatigue or always feeling too tired
- Being obese or overweight
- Fracture resulting from reduced bone mass
- Depression symptoms
If you are starting to experience any of these symptoms, it is recommended to visit your doctor right away. Even if your hormone levels are normal, having these symptoms may indicate other underlying medical concerns that require attention.
Treatment Options
The most common form of treatment for this problem is TRT or testosterone replacement therapy. TRT is usually prescribed only if you are experiencing two symptoms or more or if your blood test results show low levels. The goal of TRT is to replace those hormones that your body doesn’t produce. There are several delivery options available such as:
- Gels
- Skin patches
- Injections
- Tablets that can dissolve in your mouth
- Pellets implanted through surgery that can release testosterone